Have It All
by whocares1313
Summary: When Max meets Fang, she has been having alot of issues in her life. He tries to reach out and help her, but she wont listen. She feels like she cant trust anyone. Will she ever let him in?
1. Chapter 1

_**My rewrite! Which is hopefully better!**_

_**Disclaimer- Did you notice that JP has a picture of himself on like, every book he writes? I don't even have a picture of me on my profile!**_

_Max POV_

_I woke up and rolled over to look at the wall clock, a little after six am. Not time to wake up Gazzy and Angel for school yet. I rolled again to face Angel, and started stroking her beautiful blonde hair._

_Yes, we were sleeping on the floor, what's so wrong about that?_

_I heard yelling coming from the hallway, Steve and Dave. Again. Just like every other morning._

_I rolled my eyes as Gazzy and Angel woke up, looking confused about the yelling. Sounds just like our 'dad'. _

I shook my head, as if to clear the thought. _Dad is gone, for five years, get over it._

But Dave and Steve were waking up my brother and sister, like they did every other morning. I saw Gazzy bury his head on one of the pillows spread across the floor.

We live in a one-bedroom apartment, our mom's dead, our dad's gone, and I, age 16, provide for the family. Take care of them.

Just like I had to take care of this, Dave and Steve were wearing my patience thin.

I strolled out the coming-off-its-hinges door to our apartment and saw Dave and Steve (I'll just call them idiot 1 and idiot 2) screaming their heads off at each other, arguing about an unconscious girl that Steve had thrown over his shoulder.

His shirt was ripped, and on his arm you could see his 'Raiders' tattoo, the local gang. I'm sure Dave had one, too.

The tattoo was pretty cool, it was a red 'R' in a gray and white tornado.

The girl had a tattoo on her collarbone, blue-silver wings. The 'Night Hawks' tattoo. The Night Hawks were a gang up in rich-land, NYC. I lived in Brooklyn.

I walked up to idiot 2 (Steve) and cleared my throat. "Why do you have a girl on your shoulder?" Ha, I sounded like a concerned mom.

He looked at me like I was a crazed little kid. Hell, maybe I was.

"Max, just go back to your apartment," he said calmly, yet firm.

I just shrugged and went back inside my apartment, but didn't close the door and stood listening at it.

I was fully aware of Gazzy and Angel bouncing up and down behind me, trying to figure out what I thought was so interesting. I put my finger to my lips in the universal 'be quiet' gesture.

Angel nodded and Gazzy sulked. I pressed my ear to the door again.

"She's a higher up, they'll notice if she goes missing!" idiot 1 said in a hushed whisper.

"Our territory, we decide," idiot 2 said.

There was a pause as if they were thinking. _Yeah, like that's possible._

"Next meeting, find out what the boss wants to do with her," idiot 2 spoke up, breaking the silence.

I heard heavy footsteps and turned to face Gazzy and Angel, Dave and Steve were back to their apartment, which is where they probably should have been having that conversation.

"Who wants breakfast?" I asked somewhat enthusiastically **(look it up)**.

They both raised their hands and I laughed, they were so cute. Gazzy was 11, the same age I was when Jeb left, the same age I was when mom died two months later. Angel was a carefree 9 year old who never failed to amaze me with her endless energy.

I went into our crappy kitchenette and poured three bowls of Fruit Loops. Angel and Gazzy wolfed them down in, it had to be, like, ten seconds.

They went over and turned on our old tube TV. iCarly is such a weird show, but I never was much of a TV type. I was a sun child before we moved to the city, before Jeb started to hate us. Before Jeb started to hit us.

The kids grabbed their backpacks and walked down the stairs of our apartment and to the rundown bus which was waiting outside like it did every day.

I decided to take the day off, I had a major headache. I heard Dave and Steve chat their way to the stairs door, and then it was silent.

I wanted to know about that girl, why was a Night Hawk person in Raider territory? And why didn't they just shoot her like they did every other Night Hawk trespasser? She must have been really high up in their standings so that all Hell would break loose if she was killed.

I walked down the hallway to apartment 3N. It was better than my apartment, probably because they had more then the el-cheapo 7 eleven check coming in every two weeks.

I looked around, at first not seeing the girl, but there she was, laying on an old couch. She was tied up and gagged, and was either sleeping, unconscious, or dead.

I was hoping for either the first or second option.

After I went back to my room (3G), I got some scissors. I cut the ties and she came alive, fully alert.

Within seconds, she had an arm bar on me from behind and I was bent over in pain. She could snap my arm at any second.

"Password," she hissed in my ear.

"I don't know the password," I said, hoping she wasn't serious.

She was, though, I heard a snap, and screamed in pain. She broke my left arm!

I turned around to cuss her out, but all I saw was a blur of dark hair by the doorway.

I staggered back to my room to find something hard and straight **(haha that's what she said) **to tie around my arm after I set it.

I set my arm, letting out another scream of pain, silent tears falling.

I used some random rope to tie a straight piece of wood (that I broke off the wall with my other arm) to my left arm. Good thing I was right-handed.

I laid down to take a nap.

_Well, what a great Monday._


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, I'm going to do the same basic idea with the POVs in this story, alternating between Max and Fang's each chapter until they meet. This is the same day as the chapter for Max took place.**

**Disclaimer- Me no own**

Fang POV

I woke up and saw I was going to be late to school, not that I care. I shrugged and stretched as I got out of my cozy bed, and threw on a pair of dark-wash jeans and a black shirt. Mom hated my obsession with black, I think that's why I never grew out of that phase.

I walked downstairs and saw Clarissa, our cook, busy, probably preparing my breakfast. She smiled and nodded in my direction when she saw me, and I knew that if she wasn't already, she was going to start making my meal.

I walked from the kitchen to the conjoined living room, and turned on 1000 Ways to Die. Mom says it's an emo show, but I don't care.

Speak of the devil and she shall appear. Mom walked in, in her business suit with her pager out. She was in charge of this big corporation, we were rich. She saw me sitting on the couch. "Why aren't you on your way to school yet?"

I just shrugged. Clarissa rang a bell, breakfast was ready. It was an English muffin with scrambled egg and bacon on the inside, she handed it to me wrapped in a napkin, with a water bottle full of milk. Meant for the road.

Mom shooed me out the door, and I got in my black Lamborghini Galardo **(did I spell that right?)**. I went to a private school, with movie star's kids, so my car didn't stand out. A crappy car would be more likely to stand out.

I stretched the speed limit, and luckily was not caught, because I would barely make it in time without any more delays.

I turned on Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace and put on some sunglasses, just to have fun with my whole acting badass-ness.

I screeched into the school parking lot just as the last-minute stragglers were entering the building. I got out of the car and could practically hear the last minute straggler girls swoon, just like every other day.

I smirked to myself and strolled into the building, going to my locker first, than homeroom. I was 5 minutes late, causing everyone to stare at me, especially a (I guess she was new?) very pretty red head. Who, coincidentally, was sitting in my seat.

I turned to Ms. Parks, my teacher, who was yelling at me. I guess I just tuned her out. "-and another thing! Mr. Johnson," there was the sound of giving up in her voice, "just go sit down."

I walked over to my desk. "Hey, that's my seat," I smirked at the girl, "but you can sit in my lap if you want."

She giggled and twirled her hair around her finger. "I'm Lissa," she said. Lissa got up and grabbed her stuff, pecked me on the lips, and walked to another desk.

_Well, that was easy._

I sat through homeroom and went out in the hallway, to see Iggy making out with some girl who was pressed against the lockers. He came up for breath and, THAT WAS NUDGE!

Nudge, as in, mine and Iggy's best friend. Holy shit, Nudge. Iggy was as big of a player as me and-. Holy shit, Nudge!

I walked over to them and turned Iggy around, putting on my best death glare. He turned around, with a full-blown smile on his face, until it dropped when he saw me **(that's what she said)**.

He showed fear in his eyes and let out a nervous laugh. "Hey man, wazzup?"

Nudge smiled. "Hey Fang." She grabbed her stuff and walked to her next period.

"Guys meeting, bathroom now," I snarled at Iggy.

We rushed there and the bathroom was clear, luckily. "What the hell, Iggy? Nudge? She's like, both of our best friend!"

"Dude, chill. She's different, I actually like her."

"Just don't hurt her," I said, and left.

What is up with all of these people making out? Shaw Akers was down the hall now, another one of my player friends. He jumped back at the warning bell, and him and his girlfriend started walking to their next class. Ella Martinez? THE Ella Martinez?

Oh, he got lucky. I walked to my next class, which Lissa was in too, apparently.

In that class she sat next to me, also, but this class was arranged by alphabetical order.

I sat down next to her. "What is your last name anyway?"

"Jackson?" she said questioningly.

"Mr. Johnson and Ms. Jackson, would you please pay attention to the lesson?" Ms. Lenord snapped.

I just sat back in my chair and played a song in my head **(can anyone else do that? Just think of a song and have it start playing in your head?)**.

After that class was done I went to my locker to get my stuff for math. Hmm, Lissa's locker was the previously empty one next to mine. Maybe its fate. Or maybe its God giving me a favor.

She led me into a previously empty classroom and started talking about this school, her likes, her dislikes. _Whatever. _She finally shut up and I pushed her against the wall, making out with her.

She let my tongue in with no effort on my part. Oh, yeah, she was definitely the best kisser I have ever kissed. I put my hands on her butt and she wrapped her legs around my waist.

_I think I am going to like this girl._

I heard the sound of someone clearing their throat behind me. Ms. Parks. Oh crap, this was her classroom, and she already had kids filing in. Freshmen. I saw Lissa's face flush out of the corner of my eye and let out a little chuckle.

I walked to guitar class while Lissa went to whatever class she had next.

_I 'love' girls._

**Sorry that Fang sounds like that, but I'm taking this story plot in a different direction now. So, yeah.**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey, so wazzup to the world!**_

_**Disclaimer- JP no me. (that rhymes)**_

_Max POV_

_Today I will actually go to school, today I will actually go to school, today I will actually go to school, _I kept telling myself. I miss school way too much and need to get a good education.

Ha.

I made a funny joke their. I think I'm just going to be working at places like 7-eleven and McDonalds for the rest of my life.

Never mind, I'm going to get a good education, because I can not be trapped working in places like _those _for the rest of my life.

My cell phone buzzed. Yeah, I have a cell phone, a crappy tracfone, but a cell phone nonetheless. **(I feel your pain Max, even people with parents sometimes have tracfones because their parents are freaking cheapskates!) **I checked it and saw that I had 10 minutes to catch the bus (Gazzy and Angel were already on their merry way to school) and my arm still hurt like shit.

Anyway, I had two messages. One was from JJ and one was from Dylan. I opened JJ's first. **(**_italic= Max _underlined=JJ**)**

Wazzup Chica?

_Would you stop freaking speaking Spanish on me!_

I just said 'chic' in Spanish, it's not that big a deal

_You can just shut your Spanish-speaking face then!_

HURTFUL!

_:p_

:'(

_DON'T CRY! Me sorry…_

Okay, bye!

Yeah, I know, JJ's weird. Yay! Dylan time! **(PUKE!) **(If I forgot to tell you, he's my boyfriend… so don't touch him unless you want to, one day, mysteriously wake up on a mattress in the middle of the pacific ocean, I know a guy.) **(**_italic=Max _underlined=Dyaln**)**

Hey

_What did you break now!_

I broke nothing!

_You only text me when you break something!_

No, I want to text you every day, its just the fact that I break something every day and it comes up in the texts

_Yeah, so what did you break today_

I have broken nothing!

_?_

Yet…

I checked the time. My bus should be here any minute!

_Babe! Gotta go! Gonna miss the bus!_

And on that calm note, I ran out of the apartment and gracefully plowed my way down some stairs, possibly knocking over a 3 (ish?) year old. I felt bad but didn't have the time to apologize.

I made my way out and got there just as the bus closed its doors. I started pounding on them mercilessly and screaming at the top of my lungs.

The bus driver opened the door with a disturbed look on her face. "Max, sweetie, its called 'getting here on time'."

_Yeah, right. _

Believe me, I would get there on time if I could (I mean, who doesn't want to ride on the Twinkie of Doom?), but I was just too busy (texting when I should be packing myself lunch).

_Noooooooooooo! I forgot to pack myself a lunch!_

I sat down next to Farae, a girl from my _French _class, thank you JJ.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked her, trying to make conversation.

"Well, that big French project is due today, and I think I did pretty good on it," she said all rushed-like.

And, my personal day of Hell-on-Earth begins, all because I forgot to do a stupid French project that will lower my grade so much I will be happy getting a job at 7-eleven or McDonalds.

Oh, if I'm lucky, maybe KFC!

My life sucks.

"Fuck, I didn't do that," I told her.

Her eyes got wide. "Dr. Phyllis is going to kill you," she whispered like we were being watched.

Hell, we probably were, Dr. Phyllis had eyes like a hawk.

I just shrugged like it didn't matter. BUT NOW I'M GOING TO BE STUCK WORKING AT KFC!

Oh, I'm sorry, working at KFC if I'm lucky.

I pulled out my phone, now in a bad mood, but Farae tapped me on the shoulder.

"Uh, Max, what happened to your arm?"

Oh yeah, my makeshift cast-thing. "Uh, that's why I wasn't in school yesterday, I got a broken arm."

I could see in her eyes that she had noticed I didn't answer the question, but I just went back to looking at my phone. I had gotten another message from Dylan.

Bye babe, have fun running for it

Dickhead. But a dickhead that I lllooovvveee. God, I sound like I'm on valium or something. I hate emotions.

Like, here's a list of things I hate:

1) the Captain Crunch mascot

2) emotions

3) musical theatre

Emotions _would _be numero uno (Oh no! Evil Spanish!), but I had a bad experience with a Captain Crunch mascot guy when I was younger at one of New York Cities numerous parades. Lets just say he was a pedophile we had to call the cops on. I have been scarred ever since.

But enough of me and my emotions (shudder). The bus pulled into the school lot and we started filing off the bus. I saw Dylan running to meet me, a grin plastered on his face.

It disappeared though, when he saw the cast-thing on my arm.

He practically snarled. "Who did this to you?"

I just put my hands up like the cops tell you to when you're arrested. (Not that I would know anything about that :p)

I laughed a little and slung my arm around his shoulders like he usually did to me. "Calm down babe, it's no big deal."

JJ then came rushing up, and like the big ball of energy she is, started talking at a mile a minute. **(Remind you of anyone?) **

"Hey guys! What's up! Max! I never got to ask you about your weekend and what the hell happened to your arm or is it just a style thing you're going through. Please tell me its not a style thing lets not have a re-run of those knee socks last year."

I'm pretty sure my mouth was hanging so wide open I was catching flies.

JJ didn't seem to notice anything, though. She just looped her arm through my broken one (the one that wasn't around Dylan's shoulder) and started practically dragging me and Dylan by the art of skipping. Whoever invented skipping needs to be arrested.

I saw people give us dirty looks. It made sense, since the three of us were taking up over half the hallway and weren't about to move anywhere.

I got off our train of awesomeness at my locker, typed in my combination, and got out my stuff I would need for first period.

I had to push my way through people just to get to class, the hallways were so crowded. I don't see how our train of awesomeness wasn't broken.

I guess it was just that awesome.

Yay for awesomeness!

So, I made it through the sea of bodies and stumbled into homeroom, pretty sure I was missing a shoe.

I checked and saw that I was only missing a sock. How some person managed to get that off without my shoe, I'll never know.

Guess I'll just have to wonder.

****************20 minutes (or something like that) passes*******************

JJ's POV

I asked for the bathroom pass from Ms. Hutchins. Not that I had to go, I just couldn't stand more of this lecture on 'the genetic makeup of a squid'. Teachers and their fantasies that kids actually care. It's cute really.

I sat in the bathroom and played solitaire on my iPod for a good 3 minutes, and that's when it happened.

I walked out of the bathroom, but heard noises, and, being the paranoid person that I am, decided to jump back in the bathroom and just take a peek at what the noises were.

Can anyone guess what I saw? I'll give you a few choices.

A) magic monkeys doing the cha-cha? (no, but that would be awesome)

B) a rabid squirrel? (that would be just scary)

C) Dylan making out with some skank in a cheerleading uniform? (ding ding ding! we have a winner!)

I took out my iPod again, and took a picture.

Then, silently as a, uh, something that doesn't make any noise, I took the long way back to class.

That jerk Dylan will never know what hit him.

**What do you guys think? I, personally, like this JJ better than the other make of my story, because now there is still the *gasp* drama of Dylan cheating, but not with Max's best friend. **

**R&R?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rrg, I need to make the Max-findy-outy chapter, but DAMN! I have to write this chapter first.**

**Disclaimer- Get it through your thick skull, I am not JP.**

Fang POV

I grabbed my sparring bag from the game room. I take karate every Tuesday and Thursday and I sometimes go in for extra practice on Saturdays.

That's right, it's not just me in general that's intimidating. I can whup your ass.

So don't mess with me.

I grabbed my car keys off the desk and ran out to my car. Checking my phone one last time before it had to go off, I saw I had a message from Nudge.

_Iggy, Fang, please come here now. I really need you guys._

_-that's right, I'm talking to you, worship me at my feet_

Nudge changes her crazy signature every day. Yesterday it was _SMILE BE HAPPY!_. I rolled my eyes at today's and texted her back.

_Yo, Nudge, got karate, is it urgent._

_- shut up I'm not emo!_

I started driving down the road, it was the direction of her house and karate, so whatever the circumstance was, I didn't have to turn around and drive the other way.

My phone buzzed and I pulled over. Safety first.

_yes, it's important, I need you here, Iggy's already here_

_-this is Iggy typing this message, Nudge just told me what to write_

I wondered why Iggy was writing the message, but shrugged it off and got back on the road to drive the few remaining blocks to Nudge's house.

I pulled up and saw yellow caution tape everywhere, and detectives covering practically the whole lawn. Police lights were flashing, covering the scene in blue and red light. I saw neighbors on their porches watching all of this happen, looking very confused.

I finally saw Nudge curled up in a ball on the edge of her property, sobbing her guts out. She was sitting outside of the caution tape, probably not allowed to go into the crime scene area. She was flanked by Iggy and a guy I recognized as her next door neighbor.

Iggy was massaging her back as she cried, his face buried in her hair. The neighbor was talking to her in what looked like whispers.

I made my way toward them and sat criss-cross applesauce next to Nudge on the lush grass.

"-then I saw them on the floor, your dad had a few stab marks and you mom was bruised and looked beaten, they both were unconscious," the neighbor finished.

He got up and walked off, either to talk to an officer or go home, I would go with the latter. He probably already told the officers everything they needed to know.

"Does anyone want to tell me what's going on?" I asked impatiently.

Nudge let out a sound that was almost like a choking cat. "Nudge came home to the police. Her neighbor who just left, Jeff, heard screams and came over here. He saw someone get in their car and hightail it out of here, leaving the front door to Nudges house open. The man broke into their house, stole a checkbook and priceless jewelry, and assaulted her parents," Iggy said.

I nodded my head as I took all of this in.

"He stabbed Nudges dad, he was unconscious from blood loss when the medics got here. Nudge's mom was raped, then beaten. She took some blows to the head. The doctors have gotten her dad under a safe blood pressure with donations. Nudge's mom is still under critical condition with possible brain damage."

Nudge let out another choked sob and a huge snot bubble came out of her nose and popped. If Iggy could see her like this and still be dating her, there was no way he was cheating on her or just going to drop her like a rock when he found someone better.

That made me feel _a lot _better.

I gave her and awkward hug, because I have no idea how to comfort people, and walked over to an officer.

"Do you have any information available to the public?" I asked.

"The story you heard, and these." He handed me a stack of photographs. I looked through and it was obvious the man (I knew it was a man because of her mom) knew exactly where all of the security cameras were because all you could see in the pictures were snippets of black, like am elbow or something.

The cop looked at me. "We tapped all of the cameras and those were the only pictures with even _traces _of the man."

"Did you tap that one?" I asked, pointing to the extremely well hidden one right above their front door.

His eyes got wide and he went running.

You might wonder why I asked that? There were no outside pictures and no-one except Nudge's family, Iggy, Ella, and I (who were like their family) knew about it.

The cop came back around 10 minutes later with new photos. Let me say, wow. These had a clear image of the mans car, a black Camaro.

There was also a clear picture of his face. He looked young and healthy with curly brown hair, Caucasian.

The last picture was a blow-up of his license plate. BL7Y926. I repeated that in my head over and over and tossed the pictures at the cop, running to my car.

I sped down the road doing 90 in a 65, surprised I wasn't pulled over. I was ready to check every license plate and face in New York if it would make Nudge feel better. I accelerated to 95.

BL7Y926.


	5. Chapter 5

**OMG! Max and Fang are going to meet in the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything, not even my iPod (my parents keep telling me they own it and can take it away any time)**

Max POV

The day went by pretty normally, except something was a little off about JJ.

Nothing too spectacular, she wouldn't make eye-contact with Dylan, and was glancing around like something was going to happen.

I rode the bus home and put some crackers in bowls for when Gazzy and Angel got home. It was very convenient that I left after, and got home before, them. I just think our school district doesn't believe any of us are _actually _going to college, so they just send us there, give us crack head teachers, and send us home.

The best educational experience.

Sarcasm.

So, Gazzy and Angel knew that I wouldn't be here (I had work today and Thursday) and that I would be home around 7:30.

I grabbed a jacket that looked like it was mine off the floor and set off to work at the amazing 7-eleven. Most brilliant job ever, right?

Sometimes, when we were really pressed for cash (we already are, so you know how _pressed _that is) I would have to work super late just to make ends meet.

Drunks, sleazebags, and basically all creatures of the night (freaks) came to 7-eleven late at night. And let me tell you, there is a reason they only come out at night.

I jogged the rest of the way to work, just for something to do, and ended up there 5 minutes early.

I went back into the 'employees only' section in the back and put on my standard apron.

Time to start another boring day at work (*cough* hell *cough*).

JJ POV

I looked down at the picture of Dylan kissing Farae, head school cheerleader, now (to me) head school slut. I had appropriately named this picture 'Douche'. I know, I am creative.

I hooked the cable up to my iPod and my computer, printing out maybe, 20 copies?

I really just typed in '2' and then something for number of copies. Whatever.

Opening my contact list, I typed in 'Dy' and Dylan's name came up.

_Hey, come to my house, I have to talk to you._

I waited a minute for his response.

_? o.O_

The nerve of Dylan sometimes.

_JUST GET YOUR LAZY ASS OVER HERE!_

His reply didn't come for like 5 minutes. I think he was processing what I wrote.

_Calm yourself, and watch your language, I'm coming._

I hid the pictures I printed and turned on the TV, trying to look normal. Dylan and I live in the same apartment complex, so he could be here in, like, 20 seconds. He only lived a floor above me.

We lived on the edge of our schools boundaries, and Max lived on the other edge.

But we (as in just me when I show the picture) were still besties. (Insert happy face.)

I heard Dylan's knock on the door and muted _America's Best Dance Crew_.

"Hey," I said when I answered the door.

"Wazzup?" he slurred. Dylan looked like he was just sleeping.

"Just get in here you douche," I said fiercely.

And now he looked confused, but he came in anyway.

"Dylan, sit on the couch," I demanded.

He sat down and I sat next to him.

I held up the picture on my iPod. "How do you explain this?"

His eyes went wide, but then he tried to hide it. "I don't know what that picture is."

"You sure as fuck don't Dylan," I said sarcastically. **(JJ's pissed, I think she deserves a foul mouth)**

I widened my eyes too, but innocently. "Would you like to say who's face you're trying to suck off in that picture?" I asked like a predator.

His face clouded over with anger. "Erase the picture," he said sternly.

Thank God I saw this coming and printed out those copies. "No Dylan," I said rebelliously. What? You think I'd just give up the picture? He'd know something was up.

He lunged for the iPod and got it out of my hands, erasing the incriminating photo.

"I think this talk is over," Dylan called over his shoulder as he waltzed out of the apartment.

I took out my phone and vigorously texted Max.

_You, me, Dylan, movie night Friday._

My work here is almost done.

Max POV

_You, me, Dylan, movie night Friday._

I mentally sighed, this good news would help me get through the rest of the week. It was 9:20 now, and I just opened the text because when I got back, I had to make dinner (if you could call it that) and play with Gazzy and Angel enough to tire them out. _Then _I had to get them asleep.

I took my phone out in the hallway and called Gazzy's and Angel's best friend's parents to arrange for them to sleep over at their friends houses on Friday.

JJ and I would always have sleepovers on movie nights and Dylan would stay until his mom busted through the door saying it was 'too late' for him to be there anymore.

_Friday! Whoo-hoo!_

Angel's friend Jamie came with her mom to get Angel and have their little pink-infested sleepover.

Gazzy had already left with his friend Danny and now I just had to wait for JJ to come pick me up.

After maybe 10 minutes of tapping my fingers in boredom JJ finally pulled up to the building and was knocking on my front door.

"Come in!" I yelled, knowing that the door was open and wanting to stay sitting for as long as possible.

"Maxi!" she screamed, busting my eardrums.

She plopped down next to me on the floor and hugged me. "Come on, my apartment is 15 minutes away and Dylan's going to be there in 20!"

We quickly got up and ran to her old Toyota. She blasted Holiday by Green Day, which is now my new favorite song. The song switched to Goodbye by Kristina DeBarge and then Rockstar by Nickleback. We ended up pulling up at the apartment while we were singing Sleazy by Ke$ha.

I love singing along to the radio.

I carried my clothes and toothbrush up the 3 flights of stairs to JJ's room(s). I dropped the stuff on the couch and me and JJ sat down, turning on _The Last Exorcism _**(that movie scareded me (and yes, I know I spelt scared wrong))**. JJ set her house key on the table.

"I'm sorry Max," JJ mumbled.

Just then the doorbell rang and JJ let Dylan in. He sat next to me and kissed my neck.

JJ smiled sweetly. "Max has to know the truth Dylan."

He got angry. "Shut up! I told you to not mention it!"

"Mention what?" I asked.

JJ pulled something out of her back pocket and unfolded it. It was a picture of Dylan kissing Farae, one of the girls on cheerleading.

"Well, isn't this nice," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "JJ, would you please leave for a minute?"

"Gladly," she replied smugly, walking into the hall.

I shut the door.

"Max, I love you," Dylan insisted.

"Really you douche, you love me? Or is that just lies? I don't think I can trust you anymore," I said.

He walked to the door and locked it, JJ was still out in the hall.

He slammed me against the wall and his hand tightened around my arm, holding me there. It was so tight I was sure it would leave a mark. He slammed his mouth against mine and ripped off my shirt.

I screamed, but it was too late.

And I could hear JJ pounding on the door.


	6. Chapter 6

**Duh-duh-duh. The much awaited Max Fang meetie chapter! And sorry to you guys who don't want Max to get raped, its crucial to the story.**

**Disclaimer- this is pointless**

Fang POV

I got ready for karate, yet again, and hoped that I would actually get to go this time. You might be wondering about Nudge's mom? She got better with minimal memory loss and joined a rape support group.

Yep, all that in one week.

I got back in my car and started the short drive to sensei's house, hoping we would get to fight tonight. I got there and tied my brown belt on, running upstairs and bowing in.

And there was… a new student?

Max POV (idk… maybe 20 minutes before?)

I signed up for some karate class in the richy part of town. I know what you're thinking. What Max, how could you afford such a thing?

Let me tell you, I now have to take double shifts at 7-eleven _and _to cut costs, I barely eat anything. It sucks.

But I will never feel that helpless again.

Ever.

Dylan fucking raped me. The bastard raped me.

I was knocked out, and Dylan ran into the hallway, punched JJ square in the face, and made a break for it. The cops are still after him.

And I've gotten a few (*cough* million *cough*) 'I'm sorry' cards from Dylan's parents. Like that helps _at all._

I got on the bus and took the ride to 'Sensei Harry's' house. This better darn help me for all the money I'm paying.

I got off the bus and walked to the counter, paying for a gee and white belt, and went into the bathroom to change.

Walking out, I noticed that, well, I didn't really know where to go. There were a few doors and I heard noises upstairs, but I didn't really know where the stairs were. I awkwardly walked up to him.

"Uh… SIR!… where exactly _is _the dojo?" I asked. My voice cracked on the 'jo' in 'dojo'.

"Third door on the right, and of course, up the stairs," he grinned.

I looked down at the blonde hair on my shoulders and realized he was being serious. I fought the urge to flip him off as I walked to the door he was talking about. _Like anyone would think that the karate class was _on _the stairs. _

But of course, I have seen dumb blondes before, they are the ones that give us a bad name. I have also seen dumb brunettes!

I slowly made my way up the stairs, scared of what I was about to see.

Halting at the edge of the mat (I had gotten some tips from JJ, she took karate when she was younger) I stood at attention.

I waited for one of the brown belts teaching 'one-step sparring' to notice me. "May I enter class?" I asked over the voices of young kids learning to fight.

"Yes," he said, already turned back around to teach again.

I quickly did a courtesy bow and stepped onto the mat, stretching.

After I was done, I walked over to one of the brown belts in charge. Things are so awkward here for me.

"Um, sir, what should I… do?"

"First of all, I'm not a black belt, call me Will, and you should be learning your first form, but we have to teach combinations for sparring, so pair up with Kim and you can learn the basics of fighting."

I nodded.

"Kim!" he called to girl wrestling with a girl just like her (just a guess… twins.)

"What Will?"

"New recruit, teach the basics."

She nodded and walked over to me. Her face was flushed. I noticed Will was wrestling that other girl now.

Kim directed my attention towards her. "Okay, so, I'm guessing you know the basic punches, jab and reverse punch?"

I shook my head eagerly. "Yeah."

She showed me a bunch of different kicks, of which I already knew snap kick, side kick, and roundhouse kick.

I then learned hook kick, back kick, and spinning side kick. Apparently I'm a fast learner. Yay for me! (sarcasm)

I heard footsteps come up the stairs and this gothic guy (the only thing not black on him was his brown belt) who was scanning the room. His eyes rested on me and I involuntarily shivered.

Will broke apart from his fight with a guy named Daniel. "Hey man, what's up?" he asked the guy. Goth dude shrugged and they did that man hug thing.

"Yo Fang," a black belt named Josh said.

"Hey," 'Fang' said in a _very _deep voice.

Sensei Harry came upstairs. "Partner up, time to spar."

He walked up to me. "Do you feel comfortable sparring? You can sit out since it's your first night."

"I don't have any gear," I said, realizing that other people were putting on headgear and stuff.

"I have some, but are you ready?"

"Uh… I'd like to try…"

"Well then, the bin is over there, take your pick of the amazing hand-me-downs, and if you haven't noticed, I used sarcasm," he said.

I rolled my eyes and walked to the plastic bin, looking for something even remotely my size. I picked out some gloves, feet things, and headgear with a face shield.

Putting them on as fast as I could, the only partner left was Fang. The brown belt. That could probably kick my ass into next week.

_And that is why you practice to be better than those people._

We stepped out onto the mats and were supposed to shake hands before we fought, but could only manage a fist bump, because the gloves were just that big.

He flung toward me with a flurry of punches, but they weren't very hard. He was going easy on me because I was new.

That just wasn't going to work for me, because, in the real world, people wont say "oh, you've never fought anyone before? Well, I wont beat you with no mercy than." Dylan sure didn't. Jeb sure didn't.

I threw back my own punches, causing him to back up just enough for me to throw a kick. He caught it and threw me to the ground. I landed with a grunt.

This went on for about two more minutes and sweat was pouring down my face. I was breathing deeply and Fang was panting a little. Both of our faces were red from the heat inside the helmets. My hair was probably a sweaty rats nest.

He gave me a half-smile. "Nice match," he said, clapping me on the back.

"Thanks." I grinned.

The rest of class was fine, except for the second taste of hell I've ever had. It came in the form of a five-minute-workout.

What is a five-minute-workout you might ask? It includes a tremendous amount of pushups, sit ups, and running. The worst part? A little thing called six inches. You lay flat on your back and keep your legs straight while lifting them six inches in the air. If you've never done it, you are lucky.

At the end of the class (8:00) Fang started talking to me. Well, sat next to me and said "hey."

"Hey, uh, I have to catch a bus and need to leave."

"I'll drive you to your house," he said.

If you were me, would you really want a person you just met knowing where you live? I certainly don't, and the Dylan thing made me even more paranoid.

"No thanks I'll just take the bus," I said fast and slipped on my flip-flops while running out the door. Yeah, I've got skill.

I barely made the bus and spent the whole ride thinking about stalker dude Fang.


	7. Chapter 7

**I was typing this up yesterday but Microsoft shut down on me and didn't save it. So, I lOvE gIrAfFeS, don't send Bob to eat me. I beg you.**

**Disclaimer- Did you ever realize that the first three letters in 'disclaimer' are 'dis', as in we're dissing ourselves by writing these. Just thought I'd tell you.**

Fang POV

In my spare time, I was still looking for Nudge's mom and dad's attacker. I pulled into any parking lot, whether it had a black Camaro or not, and checked all of the license plates. I was in 'the hood' right now, and was glad that I knew karate. But then again, Sensei Harry always reminded our class to not bring a knife to a gun fight. I clutched the knife on my belt loop.

_A knife is better than nothing._

I pulled into a parking lot and scanned all of the cars, but no luck. I got back in my car and caught some dirty looks. I guess a lot of the people in the hood don't have Lamborghinis.

I pulled into an almost empty parking lot, and got out to start scanning license plates.

_E490PUN, haha, PU, I just made a __pun_. _RTY95H6, not it. BL7Y926, this is boring. Wait! BL7Y926! This is the car! *starts to hyperventilate* *not really*_

I noticed that the car wasn't a black Camaro, it was an old blue pickup. I guess the person wanted to blend in with the rest of the cars. Walking the perimeter of it, I was so focused that I accidentally tripped over some of the uneven asphalt and my face slammed into the passenger window of the car.

I pulled myself from the glass and punched the car in frustration. Just then, someone screamed. Turning around, I saw that Max girl from karate. She had wide eyes, her face was pale, and she was pointing at either me or the car. Her hand must have been shaking.

She ran into the building, and I quickly followed her. I saw the door to the stairs close and pulled it open, still running. I saw a flash of blonde turn a corner, and sped up my pace.

By the next corner, I could see all of her, and hear her deep breathing. I was thankful for all of the cardio sensei made me do right now.

"Max!" I called out.

She just kept running. I was right behind her on the last turn and threw her over my shoulder when she had to pause to open the third floor door.

Max started pounding on my back and screaming. I opened the door to the third floor and put on my face that said to anyone looking at me 'what, this is perfectly average!'

Two kids from 3G ran out and sat down in front of me, determined looks on their faces. They couldn't have been out of elementary school.

"Put down our sister!" the little girl demanded.

I shrugged, which was hard with Max on my shoulder, and put Max down, but held on to her wrist.

"Gazzy, Angel, go inside," Max said to them soothingly.

"Ok Max," the boy said. They jumped up and ran back into 3G.

She turned to me. "What do you want?" Her voice was thick with venom. I was surprised she wasn't choking on it.

"Whose car?"

"Dave's. Now, let! Go! Of! My! Mother… freaking arm!"

I decided I like this girl. "Where does Dave live?"

She sighed. "Apartment 3N."

I let go of her, and she ran into 3G. I walked dramatically (not really, I'd jus like to imagine that I did) down to 3N. The truth is I was tripping over my feet in anticipation the whole way.

Knocking on the door like a civilized person, I wondered if I was actually going to catch the guy. The door opened and… a blonde guy answered. "What do you want?" he asked me.

"Is Dave there?"

"He's in the shower." His eyes narrowed. "Why do you care?"

I didn't feel like talking anymore, so I just knocked him out and threw him in the closet. I sat on the ratty old couch, hoping this Dave guy wasn't just another dead end.

Five minutes later, the spitting image of the man in the photograph came out of the bathroom. I punched him in the eye, and he sucker punched me.

All of this fighting went on a while, and lets just say it involved bruises, broken fingers, cops, and both of us being 'cuffed. We were put in separate cells in the police station so we wouldn't kill each other. But we wouldn't, I would only kill him and it would be all over.

The cop who arrested me came to my cell. "You get your one phone call," he said, handing me a cell phone.

I called my mom. The ringing buzzed in my non-bloody ear.

"Hello," my mom answered.

"Hey mom."

"Hi Fang, why isn't the caller ID your cell phone?"

"I'm in jail."

I heard a thump on the other end of the line and imagined my mom passing out. It made me chuckle.

"What police station?" my mom asked through what sounded like clenched teeth.

"Brooklyn 67th Precinct Police."

"Clancy and I will come to pick you up," she said, and then the line went dead.

If you're wondering, Clancy is our driver.

I handed the phone back to the police man through the bars and lounged on the bottom bunk, suddenly feeling really tired. I heard Dave call a guy named Steve through the concrete wall and grunt when he hung up. I wonder why.

My mom looked frantic as she ran in about twenty minutes later, paying my bail and yelling at me all of the way to our parked Hummer.

"Uh, mom, I left my car in front of an apartment."

She groaned and I gave Clancy the address. He typed it into the GPS and we were there in a few minutes. The dropped me off and drove away. I walked around to the other side of the building where my car was parked. But the space was empty.

I glared at the spot, as if it would bring my car back. To make matters worse, my cell phone was in my car so I couldn't call the police (I'm sure they'd love to hear from me) and also couldn't call my mom for help. I would ask Max for help but I'm pretty sure I creeped her out a little too much and she would slam the door in my face.

I sat down in the empty parking spot and glared at the emptiness. I saw a curtain open on the third floor and Max was staring down at me. Then, I guess she realized what she was doing, and the curtain snapped shut.

To make matters worse, it started raining.

_Time to walk home._


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, so I was just watching ghost whisperer and I never thought that ghost shows could actually move me, like one a mom died trying to protect her child from the abusive father, and ended up dying in the process. Her ghost was awakened when her daughter had an abusive boyfriend… yeah. The shows a little corny but overall a good show.**

**Disclaimer- doubt that JP is listening to Uncharted by Sara (last name I cant spell)**

Max POV

I grimaced at the sympathetic glances I was getting from every corner in school. I never was one for attention.

I groaned as my stomach grumbled. I still wasn't able to eat because of the expensive karate. Lately, karate had gotten much more enjoyable. Fang was coming on different nights than me, so I hadn't seen him since the little (not really little) Dave incident.

Guess what! You don't want to guess? Whatever, I don't care, Ill tell you anyway. Dave is in jail! He got locked up for something 'not being released to the public at this time'. I don't consider myself the public, though. I consider myself as the girl who's siblings used to watch iCarly with a man now in the slammer, and wants to know why.

Yep, he used to watch iCarly with Gazzy and Angel.

Richy-rich boy Fang made bail, I heard about that in karate. You might say 'Oh Max, how do you know he's rich? Don't make assumptions like that!' I saw him roll up in a Lamborghini Galardo. If that doesn't scream rich, what does? Nice car, though.

I looked around and saw another teacher giving me the sympathy eyes. I pulled JJ into the bathroom. "How do they know? Isn't the School Board supposed to make rules against this kind of stuff, like, teachers cant talk about it?" I asked in a hushed whisper. My voice still carried in the linoleum-covered bathroom.

"I don't know, and Max, I'm so sorry, it was all my fault that happened." She started to tear up.

I hugged her. "You didn't know that would happen. I was stupid to trust him anyway." I smiled at her. "I couldn't have a better best friend."

"Thanks Max," she said, sniffing.

The warning bell rang and I laughed a little. "We cant be late for our top notch classes, lets go."

She laughed and we both put our silly dignified faces on, you know the ones rich people make around people like me that say 'you stink', locked arms, and marched out of the bathroom.

The real bell rang and we laughed as we ran, all the way to 4th period.

We stumbled in, our faces flushed, and the teacher scowled until he saw me. "Come in and take your seats."

We went to 5th period, most boring class of the day, and within ten minutes I raised my hand. "Yes, Maximum?"

"First, it's Max, second, can I go to the bathroom?"

"Sure, Maxim-Max!"

I smiled at him and took a hall pass. "Thanks!"

Walking into a stall, I checked the pad I put in… no blood. _Uh, okay… _I just shrugged it off and put in a new pad, and started walking back to class.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and by the end of it, I was excited to be going to karate tonight.

I looked down at Gazzy and Angel. "Gazzy, you're in charge, Angel, Bambi eyes- now illegal, capiche?"

Angel looked up at me. "Si, mi hermana."

I ruffled her hair. "Espanol, something you might actually use when you get out of school." I paused and looked at them. "But seriously, get good grades and scholarships to college, and become, like, professional writers like James Patterson or something."

Their eyes questioned me.

"Just do good in school and be successful, I'll be back at 8:30."

They nodded and plopped down on some towels, turning on the TV.

I took the bus, like always, and walked from the bus stop the two blocks to sensei's house.

I noticed a silver Corolla in the parking lot that I didn't recognize and guessed a new student was here. I also noticed Chris's car, Renee's, Zack's, and Jake's. No brown belts today. I also saw Sensei Adam's car. Something always seems to go wrong when he's here. (Its always when he's fighting them.)

I walked in and looked at sensei, who was sitting down. "May I enter class?"

"Yes," he bellowed. I bowed and started walking up the stairs, he was right behind me.

I heard a familiar voice up there. "Form A!" it shouted. At that voice, I tried to run down the stairs and back to the bus stop, only to be stopped by sensei's belly.

"Is there a problem?" he asked me.

I heard rushing footsteps and everyone was hanging over the ledge that looked down on the stairs. Including he-who-must-not-be-named (okay, Fang).

"No problem," I mumbled, and continued to my death at the top of the stairs.

I reached the top of the stairs and paused by the edge of the mat, putting my brave face on. "May I enter class?"

Fang looked at me and nodded.

I bowed and said, "thank you, sir," an involuntary smirk coming across my face when my hair covered it. I quickly wiped it off before my hair uncovered my face though, or else I would be in some deep shit with sensei for being cocky.

"Form A!" Fang shouted again. It was different this time, though. This time sensei was watching. You don't mess up when sensei is here. You excel and try to show off as much as possible, while not looking like you are trying to show off.

We did the form and I noticed that all of Fang's stances were super-deep, so deep that most people would loose balance, but he made it look graceful and effortless.

I glanced around and noticed that Sensei Adam wasn't up here, which made me feel relieved, because he is more than just a little not fun.

"All white and yellow belts may sit out now," Fang said, because we just finished the form for the belt requirement. I looked down at my recently earned yellow belt and put a 'derr' look on my face. "Max, that means you."

"I know the next form," I said with concentrated patience.

He shrugged and went back to the front of the class. Will taught me all of the forms except for the final three, most advanced ones. By the time I sat down, Fang was the only one left standing who knew the following forms. Well, I sat down with Zack. We high-fived.

Sensei Adam came upstairs and we sparred. I only had a thirty second match with him because I'm so inexperienced and it was still too painful for words.

At the end I cursed myself for wearing shoes when Fang sat next to me. "I had a reason to be at your apartment."

I put on my best 'you just pissed me off' face. "I don't want you knowing about my personal life, and I wont pry at yours. It's a give and take, I'm not trying to give any and you're trying to take too much. I don't want to take any but you're giving too much."

With that I finished tying the loop on my shoelace and bowed out at the door, storming into the dark night.

He came out the door and ran within earshot of me but not the people inside socializing. "That guy, Dave, raped one of my best friend's moms." He stopped, probably thinking he'd said too much. "I had a reason," he said in a whisper I could barely hear.

I felt the tears start to roll down my cheeks and tasted the all-too-familiar-by-now saltyness. He rushed to me and hugged me, but I think he didn't know how to hug, because his body still wasn't relaxed.

My head dropped onto his shoulder and I sobbed. I threw weak punches from the short distance (like no distance) between us, but it wasn't even to get him off me, just to get out the frustrations of the past few weeks.

He 'ssshhh'ed me but that just made me sob harder. We sat down in the grass and I buried my face in his (rock hard) stomach, probably getting snot all over it and its emo-ness.

"Max," he said to me quietly, but not like a whisper. "Max, what's wrong?"

I calmed myself down a little and gave a little cough. "Nothing, just really tired, it happens," I said through the tears still running down my face. I could see the disbelief in his eyes. "What, I didn't get any sleep the past two nights and now I just over-stressed myself in karate class I shouldn't have even come tonight." _Ain't that the truth…_

"Well," he said, obviously still disbelieving me.

"Well, can you give me that ride now? I'm tired, as you can see, and now that you know where I live it's not like I have to worry about you finding that out, it's too late. I probably also missed my bus." I let out a dry laugh.

He led me back to the Corolla. "My car got stolen." He tapped the hood of this car. "Rental."

I nodded and sat down on the passengers side, sorting through his CD's. "Anything other than emo-rock in here?"

He pulled out a CD from under the driver seat. "The Beatles," he said with a genuine smile, "my guilty pleasure."

I smiled back, my face feeling weird from all the crying. You know that feeling? "I love the Beatles!"

We drove, and in the small dark patches we drove through in the complete pitch black, except for the headlights which Fang had to focus on to see, I would let the silent tears slide. By the time we got back in the lighted up roads the tears would be wiped up and I would be a happy girl listening to the Beatles.

On the outside, anyway.

Fang POV

I looked over at Max, seeing the smile forced on her face, and noticed her cheeks were even more pink from crying than before we even got into the car. The next time we drove through a dark patch, I listened hard and heard the almost not there sniffles coming from her, knowing she was crying again. I pretended to just hear the Beatles.

I dropped her off and waved goodbye. She waved a rushed goodbye and turned fast, running into the apartment, probably not wanting me to see her cry again.

_I don't know what's going on with this girl, but I'm going to figure it out._


	9. Chapter 9

**Wow, I currently have a black eye from my brown belt test on Sunday… at least the swelling has gone down (I felt like Max after she fights erasers after that test)**

**Disclaimer- JP probably doesn't have a black eye**

Max POV

Stretching out my muscles as I woke up, I felt a crying hangover. My vision went blurry for a second and I forgot where I was, you know the feeling. I decided to take a day off school and relax.

I woke up Gazzy and Angel, and fed them a quick breakfast of Cheerios in almost-stale milk. They grabbed their backpacks as I rushed them out to the bus stop, but there was no need, because the bus was just pulling up when we got to the front of the building.

Trudging back upstairs, I realized I needed some exercise. I threw on some gray sweats and an orange shirt, ready to go wherever my feet took me.

I walked back downstairs and onto the dirty, gum covered street, and started my slow pace. I zoned out for who knows how long and ended up in front of a McDonalds just as pangs of hunger were starting up in my stomach.

_This must be a sign!_

I walked in and was greeted by the smell of grease. That wonderful, wonderful smell. I walked up to the cash register. "One McDouble, a small fry, and a small drink." I could hear my own voice droning for what sounded like forever.

"Okay, that'll be $3.18," the somewhere-in-their-twenties person behind the counter said. I handed her four ones and got a suicide with everything except for diet 'cola' in it. I hate diet 'cola'.

"Number 18!" a voice called behind the counter. I checked my receipt. One off.

Dang.

I picked one of the two person tables and sat down, sipping my soda. My ponytail was coming undone and as I started to tie again, a person just _had to _be walking behind to spill their diet 'cola' all over me.

I hate the diet 'cola' so much I can smell the difference.

I have super senses when it comes to important things like that.

Turning around, I saw some hair that looked familiar. "What the hell is your problem!" she yelled at me.

The McDonalds went quiet. I scoffed. "What is _my _problem? What is _yours_? Last I checked, I wasn't the one who was spilling soda all over people! And diet of all things!"

She grabbed my arm and somewhere in the background I heard, "you knocked me with your arm!" But I was still processing the whole 'her grabbing my arm thing' and why it felt familiar.

It hit me. "You're the girl Dave and Steve brought home, the Night Hawk," I whisper-yelled at her.

She quickly pulled me into the girls bathroom. "Listen to me," she whispered, but was sure to put plenty of venom in her voice. "Saying I'm in the Night Hawks could get me killed around here, so you're going to shut up and follow me." She thought for a minute. "Or else," she added, making the slicing motion across her neck, then mine.

I tugged at her tight grip on my arm. "I don't think you're in any position to be making threats," I managed to grunt out.

"Am I not?" she asked in a silky voice.

"Actually, no, because all I have to do when you're marching me to wherever you're gonna march me, is yell out, 'hey Raiders, got a Night Hawk over here!', this place is crawling with them, and you'll be shot before you can deny it," I said snarkily.

"You know," she whispered, "it only takes so much for someone to say Dylan."

I wondered what she was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"Lets take a walk," she said leading me out of the bathroom.

We walked out of the restaurant, and she still had a death grip on my arm. "But I'm still hungry," I moaned as a last resort.

"You want to know what I meant by the whole Dylan thing?" she asked after we had been walking for a few minutes.

"Actually," I smiled sickly, "yes I do."

She grinned. "Meet my colleague." She held out her arm to a dark alley and the one guy who I hoped I'd never see again came out.

"Max," he said in his honey sweet voice, "long time no see."

"Not long enough," I said through clenched teeth.

"What's that?" he asked, putting an arm around me and holding up a knife. A knife with a drop of red on it. He turned us toward the nameless Night Hawk. "Don't go in that alley for a while, it smells like death." He shrugged. "Who knows why?" He quickly put the knife away. "Lets hope I don't have to use that."

Fang POV

I felt like ditching school today because all of that 'comforting someone' crap gave me a headache. So I decided to go for a drive. Somehow I ended up in Brooklyn. A place that holds bbbaaaddd memories for me and my *sniffle* still not found Lamborghini.

At that moment, I felt like crying.

But Fangs don't cry.

Is it even possible for a Fang to cry? Probably not since its in an animals mouth…

I had the visor down on my car because the sun was _killer _today, but a glare caught my eye through my side window and I could barely stop myself from crashing into the car in front of me.

Pulling over to regain my senses, I saw Max nicely tucked in some guys arm. And man did she look _pissed._

I walked over to Max and crew and tapped the guy with his arm around Max's shoulder. "Hey man, why are you up on my girlfriend?" _Up on my girlfriend? Did you take loony pills today Fang? What is my problem? WHY AM I TALKING TO MYSELF!_

The guy pushed Max away and pulled out a sick looking knife. "You got a new boyfriend? You're cheating on me!"

"We aren't together Dylan," she said with exaggerated patience, but her voice was shaking.

He backed up. "You might think that," he said matter-of-factly, and disappeared into the New York crowd.

The girl also left, and I wondered who she was. "Max, lets go to McDonalds, there's one a block over and I need some answers."

We ran there and I could hear Max's stomach grumbling the whole way. As soon as we walked in a voice came over the intercom. "Number 19! Final warning! Number 19!"

Max squealed, did a little happy dance, and ran up to the counter, grabbing the order and rushing to a table covered in soda with an obvious hobo sipping out of a cup.

She yelled for a second and he handed over the drink. She smiled and dumped the soda, filled it back up, and got a new straw.

Wow, all that in twenty seconds. She's got skills (fo shizzle).

Max walked back up to me, and I probably looked dumbstruck. "Come on," she said laughing, already walking to a not-soda-covered table.

We sat on opposite sides of the booth. "You seem determined to know everything about me, well I give up, ask away." She sighed.

"What's your name?"

"Max, duh, you know that."

"What's your real name?"

"Maximum Batchelder, then Martinez, and now Ride."

"Fair enough, who was that 'Dylan' guy?" I made air quotes around 'Dylan'.

She got angry, I could see it in her eyes. "He. Is. No one," she said fiercely.

"You said you'd give me answers."

Her face became grim. "He is my ex-boyfriend."

"Obviously he's more than that if it makes you so mad."

"He is also my rapist. I have to go."

"You haven't eaten your burger," I said, trying to keep her here.

She picked it up and threw it at me. "Have it, I forgot to order it plain."

"Max!" I yelled when she was walking out the door.

She looked frustrated when she turned around. "What? What do you want now?"

"To talk!"

People were staring and I heard someone whisper "she's here again."

I take it Max heard it too, because she yelled, "cant you people just mind your own business and eat your food!" Everyone buried their faces in their meals.

She looked back at me. "Where's your car? To tell you the story we'll start at my apartment."

We walked back to where my rental was parked to find the space empty. I couldn't help yelling. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!"

She patted my shoulder. "You know, most people in New York walk, follow me."


	10. Chapter 10

**Is this a fast update? I'm not even sure anymore…**

**Disclaimer- I am currently: trying to keep my typing noises down so my parents wont come downstairs and investigate and am listening to Playing God by Paramore JP is: probably sleeping**

Fang POV **(I luffles writing in his POV for some reason)**

Max and I walked back to her apartment and I sulked about my car. Max didn't even notice there was anything wrong… does that mean/imply something about my normal attitude?

Nah.

When we got there I stood in the middle of one medium sized room covered in different kinds of mold and smelled of mildew. "Nice place," I said sarcastically.

She punched me in the arm. "Shut up douche bag! Anyway, you wanted to know my story? Here-a goes."

Max cleared her throat. "When I was 10, Jeb moved my family to this dump." She opened her arms and closed her eyes while spinning as if basking in its *cough* not *cough* glory. "I was so excited. Moving to the big city from a small New York State town! And then we got here…" Her voice turned sour at the end.

After about one minute of what I guess were flashbacks, she started talking again. "You know, my dad, his name was Jeb. He was a scientist and was transferred here to work at a place called the institute. Who knows why," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "but they hated him and he was fired. That's when it got really bad-" She stopped.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, I have to tell you. This story needs to be told, why I'm the way I am. Even JJ doesn't know this story."

_Mental note: ask who JJ is._

"So, Jeb started to beat me and mom. Gazzy and Angel had friends, tons of them, and were never here. They never saw what happened when they were gone. That's one thing I'm glad about. They didn't need to experience that. I guess he got bored with us, because he left a year later. And then mom-" she shook her head in disappointment, "she loved Jeb to the end, no matter what. She was so depressed, she turned to drugs."

_I take it the drugs you speak of are not Pepto-Bismol._

"One day mom just," Max shrugged her shoulders, "overdosed. That's when my life really started to suck. I closed _everyone _out, even Gazzy and Angel."

I cut in. "And then what? In about a year you met Dylan."

"Yeah," she gave a weak chuckle, "I guess my life is pretty clichéd…"

"What happened next?"

"Dylan introduced me to JJ. We were best friends. People called us the Three Musketeers. I loved them both to death for helping me and sticking with me though the bad times. For being my friends. And Dylan… it was just a few months ago he asked me out you know, and I had always had a little schoolgirl crush on him, so I figured, why not?"

"What ruined it?"

"Turns out Dylan had little schoolboy crushes on more girls than just me. JJ found out about it. I confronted him and he raped me. I was so stupid, I thought he actually liked me."

Something told me that last sentence was just supposed to be her talking to herself.

Max turned to me and clapped her hands twice, I think probably more for her own attention than mine and said, "well, there you have it, my life in a nutshell. You got your explanations."

Suddenly, her mood changed and she quickly pushed me out of the apartment, looking mad.

Max POV

I explained everything to Fang, and then I felt so stupid. I mean, I barely know this kid, and he is suddenly everywhere in my life. Him and Dylan are two prime examples why I never let down my walls.

I quickly shoved him out the door, feeling like I couldn't look him in the face anymore, that's how embarrassed I was.

My stomach grumbled for the umpteenth time since I didn't get my McDonalds. "Shut up!" I mutter-yelled at it.

We barely had enough food for Gazzy and Angel, and I didn't have the time to go to McDonalds or the money to go to the grocery store.

I gritted my teeth and walked into the bathroom, feeling like this day was getting worse and worse. I pulled out the pregnancy test I got at the 7-eleven I work at for 100% off. I know how to shut off the security cameras.

I waited for what felt like years and then was too afraid to pick it up.

I heard Gazzy and Angel walk through the door, and I went out to greet them. "Hi, your snack is on the table, but Angel, I drew a picture on a special piece of paper in the bathroom, can you tell me what it looks like?"

"Sure Max," she said, and skipped off to the bathroom. "Max, it's a smiley face, why did you want to know?" she asked when she walked back.

"I just wanted to know if you saw the smiley face too," I said weakly. "Guys, I have to take a nap," I whispered, and laid down on the floor to think.

**K, I know its short but I wanted to update tonight yet I'm tired. Not a good combination. **


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't feel like doing disclaimers anymore so this is a collective one for the rest of the story:**

**Disclaimer- I don't own maximum ride and am not James Patterson, get over it.**

"_What a shame we all became such fragile broken things. A memory remains, just a tiny spark. I gave it all my oxygen to let the flames begin. So let the flames begin." Let the Flames Begin- Paramore_

Fang POV

I hustled out of Max's apartment, afraid of what she'd do to me if she saw me again. _Maybe its PMS…_

I walked to a bus bench and sat there, not knowing what riding on a city bus would be like. I would have called my driver, but my phone was in the Carolla. Damn you the hood.

The bus pulled up and opened its doors. I almost didn't get on it, that's how nasty it smelt, but it was my ride home (or somewhere near home). The bus driver looked at me. "Two dollars," he said, holding out his hand.

"Got change?" I asked, holding out a twenty.

He shook his head and chuckled. "No." He grabbed the twenty and waved me back towards the seats. I felt robbed. Just like I always do here.

Sitting down in an empty seat, I took in my surroundings. There was a man playing the banjo and making sure his strings were in tune. There was a couple making out in the back seat. I also saw a man reading the newspaper and eating chili.

The bus jerked to another stop and an old woman got on. She made her way down the aisle and sat next to me. Urg. She smelt like dust and cats, and upon further examination, had no teeth. Grossness.

About half an hour later, the bus stopped maybe a few blocks from my house. Happy to jog the rest of the way (and get away from that woman), I got off and breathed in the not-so-clean-but-cleaner-than-the-bus air.

I took off for my house, ready to find out about Maximum Ride. When I got home, mom was already there. "Hi honey, how was school?"

I didn't know what to say, I wanted to say I went to school, but then, cars don't get stolen at my school. "I ditched and went to Brooklyn."

"Again? That's where your Lamborghini got stolen! By the way, the police found it. The interior is currently being cleaned because it smelled like cigarettes and cracked cocaine. Its going to be out of the shop tomorrow! So now we can return your Corolla."

"It got stolen."

"What. Did. You. Say?" she asked angrily, trying to hide her rage at the same time.

"My Corolla went by-by." With that I walked upstairs and got on my laptop. I typed in 'Maximum Ride' and nothing much came up. All junk. Like 'maximum sales' or 'just in! Our new ATV will be the best ride of your life!'. I surfed the web until I came up on a thing on Thermain High. It was a post thing about Max and Dylan.

So Max went to Thermain High, interesting.

***********2 weeks later***************

Max POV

I got on the bus and still didn't like all the sympathy I was getting from teachers. I also found out they posted about my rape on the internet! But the teachers would do anything they could to baby me and let me get out of work. It was really getting old.

I got off the bus and saw a new (to the parking lot, anyway) rusty Ford F150. I shrugged it off and went to my first period.

Homeroom was average, nothing special, nothing horrible.

When I went to first period science, now _that _was a surprise.

**Short chappie… SORRY! But I don't feel like writing and I also feel like I owe you a chapter. So be glad youre getting a chapter at all.**

**That is all.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay, I know the last chapter was short, so I will try to make this one long. You may notice Fang is OOC. But he really isn't. He talks when he needs to, and he feels he needs to in this chapter. And also remember Max is making Fang open up.**

"_When all this time I've been so hollow inside, I know you're still there. Watching me, wanting me, I can feel you pull me down."_

_Haunted- Evanescence_

Max POV

There was the boy I had been avoiding with all of my heart for weeks, standing there right in front of me.

Fang, in the front of my science class, his dark eyes boring into me. I shuddered and gave my desk a death glare so I could pretend he wasn't there.

Too bad I couldn't pretend he wasn't there. The teachers were just, like, compelled to let me out of class whenever possible. They still felt bad for me even after I cussed out my math teacher for letting me turn in my math homework late. Special attention was not something I liked.

Ms. Hutchins started talking to Fang. "Okay, class, meet our new transfer student, uh," she looked down at the pink slip he had handed her, "Nick. You can sit in that desk," she said, pointing to the empty desk on my right side. Dylan's old desk.

"Call me Fang. The principal said I get a tour this period."

"Okay… Fang? You can choose a student to give you a tour."

I knew who that student was before he even pointed a finger. "Max," he said. _Time to put on a brave face._

I stood up uncomfortably, banging my hip on the corner of the desk. "Okay 'Fang' I'll show you around." The 'I'm going to kill you and enjoy doing it' smile I was giving him must have been strong, because I saw Fang take half a step back.

He picked up his (black) backpack and held the door open for me, rolling his eyes as I walked past him. I shot him the bird from the hallway.

Fang walked beside me and grabbed my wrist. "Lets talk." He nodded toward the empty classroom a few doors away from where we were standing.

I closed my eyes and counted backward from ten, all the while walking toward the classroom.

When we got in there Fang closed the door and I felt like the walls were closing in on me. The feeling of danger was in the room, maybe I was going crazy, but I felt just as scared now as when Dylan was raping me. My face felt flushed from the tension I felt inside my brain, and the room felt a hundred degrees warmer.

Fang grabbed both my hands as I sunk down onto the ground. He sat down too, although he was still taller than me. "Max," he whispered, almost begging, "what is going on?"

I closed my eyes again and quickly breathed a puff of air out of my nose, already feeling a little more calm. "I feel like I made a gigantic fool out of myself."

"Max, you can tell me what's going on, I'm a friend."

I bit back tears. "Dylan was a friend, too."

"Max, I can help you."

The tears slipped out and I jumped up, angry all of a sudden. "You don't know you can help me! What is with you people! Why cant you just leave me alone!" I collapsed in a ball on the floor, sobbing like there was no tomorrow.

Fang wrapped his arms around me. "Max, this is eating you alive, I can see it in your eyes. Tell me what's wrong. Tell me why you wont answer my texts. Tell me why you quit karate. Tell me why you hate me."

"I cant."

"Why?"

"Its too painful."

"What?" he asked. He was so naïve, the world wasn't made up of rainbows and butterflies. There are some things people just don't want to talk about.

"Fang," I said, breathing deeply through my mouth and tasting salty tears. "The world isn't a nice place. It can be great," I said, my voice soft, and I smiled up at him. But then my eyes clouded over. "It can also screw you over. I just happened to be on the worlds hit list. And I _don't _want to talk about it."

"But you do."

"Fang. Read my lips. I don't want to talk about it!"

"Max, just tell me what's wrong."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Then help me understand! What is wrong with you! Where is the life in your eyes! Don't say it went away when you got raped, I met you after that. It was there. Where is it?"

"Fang," I said, feeling my forehead crease with worry lines, "I am pregnant."

He hugged me into his chest and I cried again, happy that the secret was out but not sure what would happen. These were not just tears of sadness, they were also tears of joy.

Fang POV

"Fang," Max said, worry written across her face, and I then knew she was going to tell me the whole truth. "I am pregnant."

Suddenly, I felt all of the sorrow she must be feeling rush through me. It was just a split second thing, but I could feel its aftereffects. This, I knew, was everything Max felt inside of her, and everything she was currently holding in her. I pulled her towards me, cupping her head in my hand, and let her sag into my chest, crying again.

Everything made sense now. She didn't want to talk to me again because of this big secret. She quit karate because you cant do karate when you're pregnant. Everything made sense.

She pulled away and I could see the fear in her eyes. She quickly looked away from me and grabbed a tissue off a bookshelf, blowing her nose so she would stop sniffing.

Max avoided my eyes again, like in the science classroom. I knew she was embarrassed that I had once again opened her up, saw her inner turmoil. Like in her apartment. It seemed to be like that whenever we talked.

She went to grab the doorknob, but I stood in front of it. Max punched me in the stomach, but she was too drained to do any damage. "Let me leave," she whispered. Her voice sounded broken, like I had broken her spirit. Or maybe it was Dylan.

I tilted her chin up and looked her straight in the eyes. "There is _nothing _to be ashamed of. You've been through a lot."

A rush of gratitude flooded her eyes and just then realized how beautiful she was. I couldn't help myself. I slouched a little and pressed my mouth to hers.

A little squeak escaped from Max's mouth and she pulled away. Her eyes were sad again. "Dylan," she whispered, then pushed me with force someone her size should never possess. Max opened the door and ran into the girls bathroom. Probably to get away from me and my stupidity.

One thing was running through my mind as I watched her run away: _what have I done?_


	13. Chapter 13

**Yeah, no excuses really for the late update really… just enjoy its medium length instead of the usual extremely small chapters. ISSUES!**

_Can we bring, yesterday, back around? 'Cause I know, how I feel, about you now. I was dumb, I was wrong, I let you down. But I know, how I feel, about you now. About You Now~ Miranda Cosgrove_

Fang POV

Max wasn't in school for the rest of the day, and I felt like such an idiot. How could I kiss her when she just got raped? But then I remembered her big brown eyes, staring at me with full trust when she knew I wouldn't make fun of her for her weakness.

She was gorgeous, and probably the first person who has trusted me completely. It made me feel good. Even though I don't talk, I don't think Ella or Nudge, even Iggy, have told me their secrets with no thoughts that I would tell someone. And even though I am 'emotionless', it still hurt since I trusted them with my life.

But Max, Max was just different in some way. I somehow was her kryptonite, what caused her walls to come down. I was just one of the kids from her karate class, right? But I was the one who bothered to learn about her.

I was the one who bothered to learn about MAX. I needed to make things right with her, because no matter how much I wanted to forget her, I felt like I was in too deep. Almost drowning, all because I tried to learn about her.

I needed to apologize, because I felt like Max, even though she didn't think she wanted to be friends (well, at least friends), somewhere deep (very deep) down knew she needed me.

I got out of my house to drive to her apartment.

Max POV

I got back to 3G and took off my jacket. Knowing that I had a good half hour before Gazzy and Angel got home, I collected all of our laundry. It was everywhere. I mean everywhere. We ran out of corners to pile it in so all three of us had to resort to putting our dirty clothes in weird places in order to keep the room looking half un-decent.

Gazzy was constantly growing, so I had to constantly buy him new clothes. That built up the piles a lot. And then I kept the clothes because Angel wore them plus the ones I bought her. Then my clothes (some of which were borrowed form JJ and never returned) were a small pile of their own.

I picked up all of the filthy, disgusting, pukeworthy clothes; not surprised that I found some wedged between the window and the curtain, under the kitchen sink, behind the toilet, and taped to the wall in the back of our closet.

The pile of laundry shifted in my grip as I carried it down to the laundry room in the gangsta-infested basement. I realized I forgot my knife in my room and swore, all while trying to hide behind a pile of stinky clothes with flies soaring around them.

Luckily, the basement was empty, so I threw our clothes in the washer, put in four quarters, and ran up to my room to make Gazzy and Angel their snack.

When I got there, I turned around and ran, not wanting to talk to my person-who-pretended-to-care-probably-just-to-get-me-in-bed man whore. Oh, excuse me, boy whore.

Fang POV

I sat on the counter of the tiny kitchenette in Max's apartment, preparing myself to apologize for nothing except liking her. Girls are so bipolar sometimes.

She walked in and saw me. I did not get the reaction I was hoping for. Just like after I kissed her, she ran. This time, I went after her.

I caught her halfway down the hall and grabbed her wrist tight enough to trap her, but not enough to actually hurt. "Let go of me!" she grunted out, trying to pull out of my grip.

"Max, can we talk?"

"I did talk to you, remember? Why are you still trying. I'm not like other girls. Just because you pretend to listen doesn't mean I'll let you get me in the sack!" she yelled angrily.

_So that's why she's mad at me… _

"Max, I listened because I was interested. I listened because you looked like you needed to tell someone. I listened because you needed help!"

She blew her hair out of her face and continued to try and break free of my hold on her. "Oh yeah?" she asked. "Then why did you kiss me."

"Because-"

"Oh just forget it," she said, and plopped down on the floor sitting criss-cross applesauce.

"No, I want to tell you why I kissed you."

"Fine," she huffed. I let go of her wrist and she crossed her arms and closed her eyes, as if preparing for the worst to happen.

"Well, for one, you're gorgeous-"

She stood up faster than humanly possible. "See, you did just want to sleep with me." Max started to march down the hall back to her room.

"For two, you are confident!" I yelled down the hall after her. She stopped and stood where she was, not moving at all. I ran to catch up with her.

"Thirdly, you try to be strong for yourself and others." I started to twirl a strand of her hair around my finger. She became a little less stiff. "And last, I really like you."

She looked up at me with big brown eyes. "Fang. Here are the reasons I ran from the kiss. Firstly, I thought you were some kind of man-whore," she said, letting out a chuckle. "Second, it was too sudden, a surprise. I don't like surprises." I nodded, still staring at her eyes. I was almost in a trance as I leaned in to kiss her, but she put her finger over my lips. "The third, and last reason that I ran away from the kiss was…" I saw hurt in her eyes, almost as if it pained her to say this. "The third reason is I'm still afraid of going in to a relationship. No matter who it is. I really like you Fang, I'm just afraid. I'm sorry."

She quickly walked back into her apartment, leaving me standing there like an idiot. I just closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.

Two kids ran into the apartment a few seconds later, laughing and rough housing. They totally ruined the atmosphere. I heard someone clear their throat in front of me, and I opened my eyes. Max was there. "Fang," she gave me a shy smile, "thanks for explaining. About the kiss thing? It cleared a lot of stuff up, and I'm glad I understand. You have been really nice to me, well, most of the time, and all I've done was hate you. You break my walls down, the ones I keep up so people won't know how hard my life is. I don't want their sympathy. But you, you are different, that's why I like you, even if it took a while for me to realize it. Even though I'm not ready for you to be my boyfriend, I think I'm ready for us to be friends."

I chuckled. "Nice speech."

She punched me in the arm. "I just poured out my heart and you laughed!"

"Well, we're friends now, friends tease each other."

She started clutching her head. "You give me a headache. Friend." Then she started to walk back to her apartment, and with my super ears, I heard her mutter, "this is going to take some getting used to."

I leaped in front of her. "You know you love me," I said mushily.

She pecked me on the cheek. "Believe whatever you want to, friend," she said friend in a sickly sweet way, very sarcastic.

Then she sashayed like she was some hot stuff back into her apartment.

I called up Lissa. "Yeah, we need to break up."

"Whatever, you're boring anyway."

That was the end of that.

I then called up Brigid.

"Yeah, we're done."

"Why?"

"Just cause," I said awkwardly.

"Fine. I haven't seen you in forever."

"Bye."

"You're missing out, but now I can have other guys, so bye!" She said, suddenly cheerful.

And I thought my girlfriends actually liked me. _Max does, she just doesn't know it yet, _I thought. That cheered me up.

I dialed Ig's number. "Hey dude," I said, "we haven't hung out in forever. Call Nudge and Ella and lets do something."

Iggy's hand rustled over the phone but I could still hear him say, "so it turns out Fang's not mute after all." Then I heard Nudge's giggle.

Iggy was back on the phone. "Sure, we'll meet up and go mini golfing."

"Kay, I'll be at… um… the, THE PIRATE ONE! Yeah, that one. I'll be at that one in twenty minutes."

Iggy's voice was dead serious. "Dude, do you have a disease that makes you talk a lot?"

"Shut up," I grumbled into the phone receiver thingy.

"Ah, there's the not speaking any more words than needed Fang we know and sometimes love. We'll be there."

We hung up and I walked to Max's door. I knocked and she opened the door. "What Fang?" she asked exasperatedly (whoa, since when did I have that vocabulary?).

"Wanna go mini golfing?"

"Can I bring them?" she asked, pointing to the two kids who ruined the atmosphere of angst.

"Whatever," I said, and we walked out to my old truck.

When we got there Iggy's eyes got wide. "Who's that?" he asked, pointing to Max. She was being bombarded with questions from Ella and Nudge.

"That," I answered, "is a friend of mine."


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey! I'm updating now!**

"_This time, don't need another perfect lie, don't care if critics ever jump in line, I'm gonna give all my secrets away." Secrets~ One Republic_

Max POV

Nudge and Ella were hitting me with questions left and right. I sent Gazzy and Angel over to talk with Fang and Iggy and start golfing, because this would probably be taking a while.

"How do you know Fang?"

"Karate."

"Why'd you join karate?"

Well, my whole school knows, they put it on the internet, Fang knows. Well, Fang probably wouldn't tell, but it's still on the internet. "I just felt like learning how to fight."

Nudge spoke up. "I would love to know how to fight! But then there's bruises and not only are they ugly but they hurt. You know what else hurts? When you prick yourself with a needle. I learned that a year ago when my mom signed me up for a sewing class. Sewing sucks."

"Uh…" I said, stunned.

"Nudge just has a way with words," Ella quickly told me. It was almost as if she thought I would run away screaming.

"Uh…" I said again.

"Nudge! You gave her a heart attack! Why do you do that to every new person we meet!"

Nudge looked offended. "I'm sorry!"

I had no idea why Fang hung out with these people. Not that they were bad people or anything, they just didn't seem like the type of people he would hang out with.

"Hey, its fine, I'm still here," I said, trying to reassure Ella.

"Oh," she let out a puff of air, "okay, that's good."

Nudge, Ella, and I walked into the pirate golf place after that. Iggy, Fang, Gazzy, and Angel were already on the fourth hole. "Hey! Wait up!" I called to them.

Fang stuck out his tongue. "Why don't you just move faster?"

"And talk less," Iggy called, more to Nudge. She flipped him off playfully.

"Nudge! There are little children watching!" Ella said over-dramatically.

"Whatever," Nudge said dejectedly.

We caught up to them on the eighth hole, not because we were going fast, but because little kids go slow and they had two of those.

At the end of the eighteenth hole, we walked to where you turn in your stuff and tallied up the golf scores. "Okay, Max, you have forty seven. Iggy, you got thirty three. Nudge, fifty two. Ella, forty five. Gazzy, seventy three. Angel, seventy six. And I got a perfect eighteen," Fang said.

"No way," I said in disbelief. I grabbed the score card. "Fang, I hate to break it to you, but you got sixty four. Nothing perfect about that."

He crossed his arms and sat on the brick ledge between the golf course and where you return your stuff, scowling at the ground. "Whatever," he muttered.

Nudge squealed in delight. "Haha I beat you!" she teased.

"I'm gonna cry," he said playfully.

I clapped. "Okay. Iggy, get me popcorn. Ella, get me a lawn chair. I wanna see Fang cry!" "You are so mean to me!" he yelled with fake offense.

I pushed him off the ledge back on to the golf course. "No, now I'm mean."

He got up and jumped over the ledge, throwing me over his shoulder. Fang carried me out to the parking lot and threw me into his car. I couldn't see before because my face was in his back, but the Gasman was using his other hand. I then realized what he was going to do. "Nooo! Please! Anything but this!" I screamed at Fang.

He smirked and threw Gazzy in the car, quickly closing the door. It was one of those cars where the locks go into the car and only the remote could unlock it. So I was stuck in here, with the Gasman, and none of the windows were open. To top it all off, he was holding a burrito that no doubt Fang bought for him. Gazzy quickly scarfed it down before I could take it, and five minutes later the car started to smell like eggs. I groaned.

Fang POV

I threw Max in the truck with a gassed up Gazzy. I would have laughed my head off if I wasn't, well, me. When I got back to the group, Ella walked up to me. "What's up with your car?"

"Well, my Lamborghini was stolen, I got a Corolla, that was stolen, they found my Lamborghini, but not my Corolla. My mom sold the Lamborghini to punish me, pay for the Corolla, and get me a sucky car to once again, punish me."

"That's the most words I've ever heard from you."

I groaned. "Max has turned me in to Nudge."

She laughed. "Sucks for you."

Angel walked up to me. "Fang?" She tugged on my pant leg. "Where is Max?"

I grinned evilly. "Being tortured," I said in my best killer voice.

We all got nachos and sodas, and ten minutes later I went to get Max out of the car. I opened the door and she walked out like a zombie. But after around fifteen paces, she collapsed on the ground face first. Gazzy walked out with a big smile. "I achieved my biggest fart ever," he told me in a stage whisper.

I walked to Max's collapsed form and slapped her a few times. She was out cold. I threw her over my shoulder again and carried her back to the table the rest of the gang was eating at. I laid her down on the table and Nudge's face scrunched up.

"What does she smell like?"

Gazzy smiled deviously.

"Ooohhh…" Nudge said.

Iggy poked her repeatedly with a stick until Nudge snatched it from him. Then Nudge started poking her. I rolled my eyes.

Max woke up and grabbed the stick, starting to prick Nudge with it. "How does this feel, huh!"

Ella started laughing and Max started poking her. By the smile on her face you could tell she wasn't seriously mad, though. Ella was laughing even harder and got the hiccups. Well, that got Max laughing. You know, Max's laugh is so weird Iggy began to laugh, which then made Gazzy and Angel start giggling. An old couple walked up to me, since I was the only one not laughing, and asked me to make them stop.

I turned to them and pointed at my friends. "Does it look like anything will make them stop anytime soon?"

Nudge was hanging on to Iggy so she wouldn't fall off the bench, Ella was pounding the table, Max was rolling around on the table, and Gazzy and Angel were poking each other with the big stick.

They stalked away. A few minutes later security walked up. "We have gotten some complaints," they told me.

I shrugged. "Okay," I said, in a 'why do other people matter' tone.

Probably not a good idea.

The big guys escorted us out of the golf place and told us we couldn't come back for three months. After that everyone began to stop laughing and just had the hiccups. I chuckled as I ushered Max, Angel, and Gazzy back to my crappy car.

As I drove them back to their apartment, Gazzy started poking Max with the big stick. I had no idea how he got it in my car without me seeing it, but at least he wasn't poking me.

Max took the stick from Gazzy and started poking me. "Hey, don't distract the driver," I told her.

"Fine," she said, pouting, and started poking Gazzy.

At the next stop light I stole the stick from Max and threw it out the window. Unfortunately, it hit a hobo. The hobo started cussing me out and I rolled up the window really quickly.

"Smooth," Max said, and turned on the radio. Justin Bieber was on.

"Ew, I hate this song," I said.

Max turned it up and started singing along. "I'ma tell you one time, girl I love, girl I love you."

"You like this!" I ask/yelled, disgusted.

She faced me. "No, but I can bear it, and you hate it… GIRL I LOVE, GIRL I LOVE YOU, I'MA TELL YOU ONE TIME!"

"You suck!"

"It's revenge," she told me.

I smirked. "No, you suck at singing."

She scowled and slumped in her chair. "Whatever."

When we got to her apartment she turned to me. "Thanks for inviting us."

"Well, that's what friends do."

"Crap. I did say we were friends, didn't I."

"What's so bad about being friends?"

She fake cried. "I'm gonna miss hating your guts!" she wailed out.

I hugged her. "Don't worry, Fangy's got ya."

She looked up with a scholars face and raised an eyebrow. "I thought we were…" she flipped her hair. "Friends."

"Friends hug," I said.

She jumped up full of cheer. "Oh yeah, friends do hug."

"Yeah," I said slowly. _Max is so bipolar._

She hugged me and ran into her room with Gazzy and Angel.

Hugging Max feels great.

Max POV

Hugging Fang feels great.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys.**

_I know what's best for me._

_But I want you instead._

_I keep on wasting all my time._

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_I fall for you_

_Over and over _

_Over and over_

_I try not to_

_Over and Over~ Three Days Grace_

Fang POV

I went over to Max' house the day after mini golf and we just sat on the floor watching basic cable. Usually I hated that kind of stuff, but with Max it actually seemed kind of interesting. Maybe it was because I was just watching her and not the TV.

Don't you judge me.

Max's face turned to me and saw me staring at her. "Hello? Earth to Fang!" She poked me in the forehead.

"What Maximum?"

She punched me in the arm. "Ugh, it's freaking MAX!"

"Fine… Maximum."

She punched me again.

"What was that for? I was just agreeing with you!"

She rolled her eyes and went back to watching Victorious (Gazzy and Angel were also watching TV with us, so nothing like MTV). You know what my favorite dialogue in that show was? "You know who I am?" Tori asked. "Martin Luther King!" shouted Cat. "No, Martin Luther King was the guy who had a dream," Andre answered. "I had a dream, kids ate me," Cat replied snarkily.

Sometime between iCarly and Bucket and Skinners Epic Adventures, Max passed out and slumped on to me. Not that I was complaining…

When it was around eight o'clock, Angel and Gazzy decided to wake Max up and told me to get out from under her (no sick-mindedness please) so they could pour a bucket of iced water on her. I happily obliged and took her head out of my lap, gently setting it on the floor.

They dumped the water on her and she quickly woke up and became alert. And then chased us down to the first floor screaming. Everyone on floor three came out to watch us. One person even had popcorn. Some of Max's neighbors are freaks, let me tell you.

Well, they weren't as freaky as like, kids with wings or something, but they were still freaky.

Max finally cornered us at a brick wall and started laughing evilly. "You shall all die!" she managed to choke out between laughs.

"Shall, really Max? We don't live in the fifteenth century," I said sarcastically.

"I was trying to be dramatic! Now you shall be the first to die!"

"You said shall again."

"Shut up!"

"Bossy," I teased.

She got a really annoyed look on her face.

"How are you even going to kill us?" I asked.

She looked defeated. "You know, I hadn't thought that through… Shit."

We all ran out from the wall and back to room 3G. Max caught Angel, but Gazzy and I kept running. "What ever happened to no one left behind!" Angel called to us.

Max was now running considerably slower, since she had Angel thrown over her shoulder, and Gazzy and I had time to spare. We shut the door and put our backs against it, hoping Max wouldn't be able to shove her way into the room.

We suddenly heard pounding on the door. "Let me in!" Max yelled through the door.

"No!" I yelled back.

I heard her huff. "Did you just say NO!"

I turned to Gazzy. "What is her problem with the word no?"

"It is just her least favorite word in the world, and when she hears it, unless it's the right answer, she goes beserk."

Suddenly the door flew open, even with Gazzy and my full weight pressed against it, and in strode a satisfied looking Max with Angel on her shoulder.

"HOW!" I yelled.

She put her finger on my chest. "Don't ever say no to me again unless you want to wake up in a box on the Pacific Ocean."

I smirked at her. "That actually sounds kind of cool."

She stomped in frustration and shrieked like a banshee. My smirk grew. She was definitely different than most girls.

"Max, you're getting the carpet wet," I said, pointing to her still dripping form.

She punched me square in the face. _Can I see Elvis?_

Max POV

"Max, you're getting the carpet wet," douche said to me.

I punched him in the nose. Right before he collapsed on the ground he muttered, "Elvis," and reached out his arm. He ended up grabbing my arm and pulling me down with him. He had a strong grip even passed out. _I guess he really wants to meet Elvis…_

When I finally got him to let go of me, Gazzy, Angel, and I turned on the TV again and started watching MAD on Cartoon Network. My favorite thing is Spy vs. Spy. So funny, yet so stupid (kind of like Fang's face) (ha, I made a joke).

Fang suddenly sat down next to me and I wondered when he came out of his (unfortunately) short-lived coma.

"That wasn't very nice," he whispered in my ear.

"What are you now? A kindergarten teacher?" I asked sarcastically.

"Perhaps."

"Shut up," I told him, and turned back to one of the weird sketches MAD does.

After all that was over, it was time for Gazzy and Angel to go to bed. "Gazzy, Angel, time to sleep," I said in a weird talking-to-children voice.

"No," they whined.

"Get your butts in bed," I said, all patience gone.

They put up their hands and backed up to their floor blankets. Fang tapped my shoulder. "I'll just… be going," he said, pointing to the door.

I pointed to the door, but more dramatically than he did. "Be gone!" I said loudly, like a dignified king.

"Fine," he said, trying to sound offended.

"Quit the lost puppy act you baby and leave this place at once."

He pouted all the way to the door, but as soon as it shut I heard a burst of laughter. _Wow, just wow Fang._

I crept over to the door and slowly opened it so it wouldn't creak. I stood over Fang with a serial killer face until he noticed me and put on his emotionless mask again.

He scratched his neck awkwardly. "Hey Max…"

I just stared into his eyes and said, "the walls are thin." Then I walked back into the room and left Fang there, gaping at me, in the hall.

Fang POV

_The walls are _so_ not thin, _I said inside my head.

_**Then how did she hear you?**_The little voice in my head said.

_Uhh… SHE'S STALKING ME! Yeah, that's how._

_**You just keep believing that.**_

_Shut up, voice._

_**You are so mean to me!**_

_Who cares? You're a voice in my head._

_**Fine, be that way! **_

**Sorry about the ending, I was bored...**

**Oh, and sorry about the line that might possibly be here, it showed up on word and I don't know how to get rid of it.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Well, ain't this a fast update! Dudes (and dudettes), I was on youtube and I clicked on a video that wouldn't open. It said there was an internet server error and highly trained monkeys were working on it. I burst out laughing and my mom looked at me like I was crazy.**

_I ain't gonna stress_

_Cause the worst ain't happened yet_

_Something's watching over me_

_Like sweet serendipity_

_Sweet Serendipity~ Lee Dewyz_

Max POV

Now that Fang and I were (shudder) friends, he filled in mine and JJ's train of awesomeness for Dylan. Except the train was slightly less awesome because Fang's not-awesomeness pulled away from _our _amazing awesomeness. Don't tell him that.

Or do, I don't really care.

So I hooked arms with Fang and JJ, and we walked through the hallway, getting dirty looks because of our (dramatic head turn) awesomeness. Or, maybe it was the fact that Fang was even bigger than Dylan (muscle, not fat), and that made us bump into even more people. But I'd rather go with the fact that we're awesome.

Suddenly a teacher stopped us and handed me a flyer. I looked up and saw Ms. Sullivan, my math teacher.

I looked down at the flyer. "Rape support group? Seriously? You couldn't have offered me this, uh, I don't know, over a month ago when I got raped!"

Everyone got quiet in the hall. Wow, awkward turtle.

"The school just discovered it. It would be good for you to go."

I crumpled it and handed it to Fang. "Get rid of this," I said to Fang, because he was standing next to a trash can. Then I turned to Ms. Sullivan. "Listen, I don't need help, I don't want to talk out my emotions, I don't want to whine about the past. I already did that. It sucked. So back off."

I then proceeded to run down the hallway until I found an empty classroom and sunk down on the ground.

Fang POV

Max ran off and JJ and I shared a look. "I need to talk to her."

"I'm coming."

"No, I need to talk to her," I said, then ran down the hallway after Max.

Max was sitting on the floor in an empty classroom and I walked up to her and hugged her. I had been getting better at it. "Don't worry."

She looked at me. "Fang, I'm a sixteen year old pregnant girl. Not from her boyfriend, but from ex-boyfriend who raped her. My life sucks."

"Max, you should go to the group."

She stood up. "They got you too? I'm gonna go talk to JJ."

"Max," I said. She sat back down.

I un-crumpled the flyer. "I know someone in this group. They meet in a church near my house every Wednesday. Which is today."

"Wait, you know someone in that group?"

_Yeah, Nudge's mom. _"Just some girl who goes to my old school."

"Can you give me a ride? After school? But we'd have to stop at the apartment first."

"Sure. And you, Iggy, Nudge, Ella, and I can hang out after."

"Then I definitely have to stop at my apartment first."

**********after school**********

I dropped Max off and sat in my car, waiting for her in the apartment. She came running out five minutes later. "Sorry," she said. "I had to leave a note for Gazzy and get out a snack."

"Okay, it'll take twenty minutes to get to a class that starts in fifteen minutes. That's great."

She smacked my arm. "Just drive."

Max POV

Fang dropped me off and promised to be back in an hour when it ended.

I walked in, not knowing what to expect, and shivered in fear. _Why did I let Fang talk me into this?_

The first room on the left said 'rape support group', so I walked into the room and saw a bunch of chairs in a circle, most of which were filled. There were around five girls around eighteen, one girl trying to shrink into her chair that looked around fourteen, and a woman who looked in her mid-thirties.

I sat in between the fourteen year old and the mid-thirties woman. Then a plump woman walked in. "Hello," she said.

"Hello Ms. Andrews," everyone groaned out, except the grown woman. She just sat there. I think I like her.

"Now, as you can see, we have someone new today, so we are going to hear her story." Ms. Andrews turned to me. "What's your name?"

"Max."

"And what's your story?"

"I got raped, duh, that's why I'm here." The middle aged woman smiled at me.

"No, everyone here got raped, what's your story?"

"Nosey," I whispered, and stood up. "My boyfriend was cheating on me. My friend told me, while he was in the room. She left so I could talk to him, but he locked her out and raped me. He hasn't been found. Now I'm pregnant."

Ms. Andrews sadly smiled at me. "Thank you for sharing."

"Whatever," I said, and sat back in my chair, crossing my arms.

After that BS was over, I walked to the middle aged woman. "I like you; you don't seem to think like the other clones here."

"Hi," she said, and held out her hand. I shook it. "I hate this place. My husband makes me come, says it will be good for me. I'm Anise."

"Nice to meet you Ms. Anise."

"No, no, no, just call me Anise."

I looked at my watch and pointed to the door. "I've got to go, a friend is waiting for me."

She nodded and I ran out, realizing Fang had probably been sitting out there for five minutes.

I quickly opened the door and jumped in the car. Fang was tapping where his watch was supposed to be. "Fang, where's your watch?"

"I dropped it in the toilet," he said sadly.

"Wow. Where are we hanging out today?" I asked.

"Uh, looks like Nudge's house."

"Okay."

We put in the Beatles cd and were able to listen to two songs before we got to Nudge's house. When we got there, everyone was already in the game room. There was a note on the stairs going upstairs. 'Fang, Max, we are currently playing Guitar Hero and are too busy to get popcorn. So be dears and get us popcorn and sodas. Kisses. BYE!'

We walked into the kitchen and I was digging through the cabinets to find a popcorn bowl while Fang was in the garage fridge getting everyone a Coke. I heard bangs and I knew, whether on purpose or accident, Fang was dropping the Cokes on the concrete floor.

I smiled in triumph when I found a bowl to put the popcorn in, but then realized I hadn't yet put the popcorn in the microwave. I groaned and popped it in, then sat in one of the theater chairs in the living room, which was connected to the kitchen.

I heard movement in the kitchen. "Hey Fang, you should come help me out of this chair."

"Max?" a woman asked.

"Anise!" I yelled in recognition.

Fang POV

I heard Max yell "Anise!" and knew my plan was working. I knew Anise could help Max since they were both stubborn and basically the same person if you ignored age. Well, Anise wasn't pregnant, but still.

I walked in. "Hi, Fang," Anise said. "So, you know Max?"

"Yeah, she and I go to the same school."

She looked confused. "Then why haven't I met Max before?"

"Oh, I transferred to her school."

"Okay, have fun kids," she said.

The microwave dinged and Max pulled out the popcorn, pouring it into the bowl and over-salting it. "Max, take this soda," I told her.

"No, I'm scared," she said. I knew she heard me dropping them.

"I made sure not to drop two, the others get the shaken ones."

"Fine, but you open it."

I opened the soda and handed it to Max. She walked up the stairs and balanced the popcorn bowl on one hand while holding her opened the soda. We got in the room and I handed out the shaken-up sodas. Luckily, the carpet was chocolate brown, so it didn't get soda stains.

I opened my soda in satisfaction, and took a long sip. Nudge, Iggy, and Ella all opened their sodas at the same time, and all got squirted. "Ah!" Nudge and Ella yelled.

Max started laughing and hung on to me for support. She was starting to pull me down, but I wasn't complaining. Nudge and Ella ran out screaming about showers and hair, but I didn't really listen.

"Cant... BREATHE!" Max yelled between laughs. I dropped her on the ground and Iggy and I fired up the X-box again. I was guitar and he was base, and we were playing Call Me When You're Sober by Evanescence **(I don't care if it's not on there, it's my favorite song, so now it's on guitar hero, get over it)**.

When Max stopped laughing she came over and hooked up the microphone and started to sing.

"_So don't cry to me, if you loved me  
>You would be here with me<br>You want me, come find me  
>Make up your mind<em>

_You never call me when you're sober  
>You only want it 'cause it's over, it's over<br>How could I have burned paradise?  
>How could I? You were never mine<em>

_So don't cry to me, if you loved me  
>You would be here with me<br>Don't lie to me, just get your things  
>I've made up your mind"<em>

"Wow," Iggy said to Max after her performance.

"I was great, right?" she said cockily.

"No, I've never heard anyone suck that bad!"

She punched him and sank down in a beanbag with a scowl on her face. "I'm amazing," she muttered to herself.

"Keep believing that," Iggy said to her.

Max stuck out her tongue.

After a few more songs, Nudge and Ella walked in fresh and clean. Iggy still looked like a soda can barfed on him. I guess it did though. Iggy looked at Nudge. "Do you want a hug?"

Nudge glared at him. "Don't even dare," she said, full of venom. Iggy backed off and Nudge smirked. She and Ella sat on beanbags next to Max and watched us play Guitar Hero. Nudge and Ella occasionally got up to play drums, sing, or take the guitar from me, but Max sat moodily in her beanbag.

We left and I brought Max back to her building. We talked outside the door for a few minutes and she kissed my cheek. "Fang, I hated that meeting, but Anise is awesome. She doesn't look like she went to your old school, though. Just a little too old. But still, thanks."

She walked into her building and I got back in my truck, and drove home for the night.

Nudge POV

Mom called me into her room after everyone left. "I'm glad you're friends with Max," she said.

"So am I, she's really nice and sometimes over dramatic like me and Ella but it's on purpose and its funny and she's pretty but she lives where Fang goes to school now in a bad part of Brooklyn well I guess most of Brooklyn is bad but, yeah. And she's sweet and has a little brother and sister."

"What about her parents?" mom asked me.

"She never talks about them, but I've only known her for three days, so…"

"Okay Nudge, do you know anything else about Max?"

"No, why?"

"Well, she's like me."

"I'm confused," I answered.

"She's been raped," mom told me.

I swear I almost fell out of the chair I was sitting in. "Are you sure? She seems so happy."

"Yeah, she's in my group. She's also pregnant. She didn't mention anything about abortion."

"She never even mentioned she was raped. How can she keep the baby? There's no way her family could afford it."

Mom looked at me. I looked back. "Who else knows?"

"She mentioned her whole school during the meeting. That includes Fang."

"I can't believe Fang didn't tell us about that!" I yelled in disbelief.

"He probably wanted to respect her privacy and let her tell you. I should have let her tell you. Please don't make it make a difference in your friendship with her or Fang."

It made sense. "Fine, she deserves her space. But thanks for telling me mom." I paused. "Wait, why'd you tell me?"

"I just wanted to know what you knew about her, and I felt I had to tell you because of her conditions of living."

"Uh, okay," I said unsurely, then left the room.

_Well, that was not something I expected._

**Over 2,000 words! Wow! A first for me… And seven pages on Microsoft Word! I am so happy!**__


	17. your friendly neighborhood AN

**Hey! This is just an author's note… I am on vacation and that's why I won't be updating for, like, another week. I would give you a chapter right now to make up for it but I figure my last chapter was long enough for two chapters (pretend it was split down the middle and the second half you're just reading now). But really, I'm in sun country USA (just a sunny part of the US, not telling you where), and I'm too lazy. Honestly, I wouldn't update now even if my last chappie was 600 words.**

**Just an update.**

**Laters,**

**Whocares1313**


	18. Chapter 17

**Hello peoples! In case you're wondering, (but you're probably not,) I had an awesome vacation. But, I feel too tan.**

_Ive been working from seven, seven, seven,  
>To eleven every night,<br>It kinda makes my life a drag, a drag, drag,  
>Ah, yeah, it makes a drag.<br>Baby, since Ive been loving you,  
>I'm about to lose,<br>I'm about to lose, lose my worried mind._

_Since I've Been Loving You~ Led Zeppelin_

Fang POV

I woke up and stretched out on my bed, not wanting to get up. The comforter rustled as my arm hit someone. _Someone, in my bed?_

I looked over and saw Max, her eyes closed, and hair flowing over the pillow. When I reached over to touch her though, my hand went through her and she faded into the gray sheets.

"Max?" I felt myself whisper, and jolted up in bed, panting crazily. I looked over at where Max was on my bed in the dream, and sighed, laying back down and trying to fight back at the fuzz and confusion in my head.

Right as I was about to get back to sleep, my alarm clock went off. I groaned and smashed my hand on the alarm clock, shutting it up for five more minutes.

My mom walked in and shook my shoulders. "Fang, wakey wakey," she said in her mom voice.

Well, I can't punch her to make her shut up.

Actually, I guess I could, but that probably wouldn't be a good idea…

"What mom?" I groaned through clenched teeth, angry that I had to get up for school.

"Honey, you have school today."

"I don't need school mother," I said like I was annoyed, but I really wasn't.

"Dumbass," she said like Red from That 70's show.

"No need for foul language," I told her, and got up slowly making my way to the kitchen.

I got a pancake with egg, sausage, and syrup inside of it.

After I finished, I threw on a black shirt, blue jeans, and my black DCs. I grabbed my backpack on my way out the door, and pulled it over my shoulder. As I walked to my car, I dreaded another day of public school.

The only good thing about that school was Max. JJ was pleasant too though. But seriously? School in the hood? Yeah, it pretty much sucks.

I turned the key in the ignition, and the car rumbled to life. I was still mad that after my mom paid off the Corolla, she put the rest of the Lamborghini money in my 'college fund'. _I miss my Lamborghini…_

I pulled the rusty old truck out of the driveway and drove off to another day of hell on earth.

Max POV

After I got off the bus at school, I saw Fang and JJ waiting at one of the shabby tables in front of our school. I waved to them and they walked over. JJ started talking. "Hey Max! What's up? How are you? Fang is so boring, like, he never talks."

"You are so like Nudge," I told her. Fang shook his head in agreement.

"Well then introduce me to her! Speaking of which, why haven't I met _any_ of Fang's friends yet!"

I thought about it for a second. "Honestly, I have no idea," I told her. The late bell rang and I realized the grounds had cleared out except some the kids who were having a smoke before class. "Crap!" I yelled, and we all ran to our lockers. Since they were all in the same hallway, we waited for Fang to get his locker open, because we were already late for homeroom, so who cares?

It was also funny to watch Fang swear under his breath every time his locker wouldn't open. JJ walked up to him. "What's your combination?" she asked him.

"Uh, why?" Fang asked suspiciously.

"Just tell me," JJ said impatiently.

Fang sighed. "14-24-5."

JJ typed in the combination and pulled and kicked the locker at the same time. The locker popped open easily. JJ looked at Fang superiorly. "And _that's _how we do it in Brooklyn."

Fang scowled. "I loosened it," he mumbled.

I laughed. JJ and I locked arms and went to our homeroom as Fang went the other way to his.

JJ looked at me pleadingly. "Let me throw you a birthday party this weekend."

Oh yeah, my birthday is in two days… "No, I don't like stuff like that, and you know it."

She groaned.

Mr. whatever his name is glared at us as we walked in. "Where were you two?" he asked in his teacher voice.

I shrugged and walked to my seat. JJ just followed my lead to her seat in front of me.

After it was all over I walked to first period with Fang, and he took the seat next to me. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful.

After school JJ and Fang were hanging out with me in the apartment, waiting for Angel and Gazzy to get home so we could leave. I didn't feel like leaving a note, and I'm pretty sure Gazzy was getting sick of it, too.

They walked in a few minutes later and I told Gazzy we were leaving. He groaned. "Can we come?" Gazzy asked.

I looked at Fang. He shrugged. "Sure Gaz." We all piled in Fang's truck and drove to Fang's house where Iggy, Nudge, and Ella were already waiting.

JJ pulled me with her as she ran off with Ella and Nudge to talk about girl stuff in another room. I refused to come and she glared at me before she caught back up with Ella and Nudge. They started talking excitedly again.

I walked back over to where Fang and Iggy were sitting (Angel and Gazzy had also run off somewhere in the huge house), and sat on the edge of the couch, putting my feet in Fang's lap. He brushed my feet off and I put them back. He just looked at me and shook his head evilly.

"Hello! Earth to Fang!" Iggy yelled, and snapped his fingers in Fang's face. Fang just about jumped five feet in the air. I slapped high-fives with Iggy. We then laughed and pointed at Fang (who was curled up on the floor) to make him feel insecure.

He pouted and got up. "That's not nice," he said.

"Neither it your face!" I said. Iggy and I shared another high five.

Fang started tickling the sides of my stomach, the only place I was ticklish. _How does he know my weakness!_

I fell backward on the couch and Fang got on top of me, still tickling me. I slapped weakly at his arms, but it didn't do much damage, because I was laughing too hard. I heard footsteps and a gasp.

**(I know this is cliché.) **I saw a flash and Fang quickly got off me. Nudge was holding her phone out. SHE TOOK A PICTURE!

"Nudge, he was just tickling me," I said slowly, like the people who try to reason with terrorists.

"You know that, and I know that, but the people of the world don't know that," she said with an evil grin.

"What do you want?" I asked her.

"Well…"


	19. Chapter 18

**I'm leaving for a week tomorrow. Camping, so I can't update…**

_Hey you, out there in the cold  
>Getting lonely, getting old<br>Can you feel me?  
>Hey you, standing in the aisles<br>With itchy feet and fading smiles  
>Can you feel me?<br>Hey you, dont help them to bury the light  
>Don't give in without a fight<em>

_Pink Floyd~ Hey You_

Max POV

"Well, for the picture, you will… LET US THROW YOU A PARTY!" Nudge yelled.

"Oh, hell no," I said.

JJ gave me bambi eyes. "Come on Max, you never let me throw you a party."

"You told them about my birthday! I will kill you in your sleep! And no party!"

Fang cleared his throat. "As the other person in the picture, I ask that you have the party," he said meekly.

I groaned and raked my hand through my hair. "Fine, but nothing big."

+++at Max's room+++

I walked into the apartment nervously, with Nudge and Ella tailing me. They gasped when they walked in. "This is where you live?" Ella asked.

"No need to be rude," I said, faking hurt.

"So where do you sleep?" Nudge asked.

I pointed at the raggedy sheets on the floor. "Well, I normally sleep there, Gazzy there, and Angel there."

"What about your parents? Is there like a secret back room that they sleep in? That would be mean though because you sleep on the floor though… Where do your parents sleep?" Nudge rambled.

I struggled to think of a lie. I have no idea how long I was thinking before Ella spoke up, with a slight waver in her voice. "Max, where are your parents?"

I sighed. "Dead, and abandoned us."

"Max!" Nudge yelled, surprised at my answer. The both hugged me at the same time. "We're so sorry," Nudge said. "How long has it been?"

"Six, almost seven years for both, my mom died a few months after my dad left. Drug overdose."

"That's so sad," Ella said sympathetically.

We hung out for about an hour and they left.

+++at the birthday party+++

Gazzy and Angel had brought some friends to the party, which was at Nudge's house. They were currently running around in the front and backyard. Nudge decided that the party would be outside, in her backyard, so that we could have a bonfire and go swimming.

We were roasting hot dogs over the fire. Nudge was telling a story about one of her many childhood bunnies that I wasn't really listening to.

After we finished that, Nudge brought out a huge cake. It had 'Max' written on it in black icing. The cake was designed like the night and had orange and red flames behind Max. It was freaking awesome! I took a picture of it, which was lucky, because right after Gazzy tripped and his face slammed into the cake.

I laughed and took a picture of Gazzy's face when he pulled it out of the remnants of my cake. "Nice one Gaz," I said. He stuck his tongue out at me, but also managed to catch some cake that was dripping down his face. Gazzy swallowed it and rubbed his belly happily.

"Well, I guess its present time, _Gazzy_," Nudge said.

Gazzy faked an ashamed look and a shopping cart with presents in it was wheeled over.

I scowled. "I don't want these," I said, and pushed the cart away.

Nudge pushed it back. "Most of these are non-returnable."

I gave her a death glare and picked up a random present. It was from Iggy. After I pulled it out of the bag, my eyes got wide. "Is this a… firework?"

"Yeah," Iggy said proudly. He pulled out a lighter, and set the rocket on the ground. The flames hissed as they made their way up the wick. Suddenly it flew into the air and burst, and I made out the letter 'M'.

"That was great Iggy!" I yelled at him, and gave him a hug.

The next present I pulled out was from JJ. It was an iPod touch. "JJ, I can't take this," I told her.

"Firstly, I can't give it back, it's engraved. Secondly, I bought it with all the twenty dollars my parents have given me for your birthday every year but you didn't want a present."

"I haven't been in New York that long," I said.

JJ grinned. "I might have chipped in a little." I hugged her too.

The next present I pulled out was from Gazzy. I unwrapped it, and there was a rough-looking vase. Gazzy grinned through his cake face. "I made it in art class," he said proudly. I kissed him on the cheek, and got cake on my face. I wiped it off and licked my hand. Nudge made a grossed out face.

I picked out Ella's present. When I opened it, there was a note. It said, 'this note hereby declares that you, Maximum Ride, now have one year of paid dues for R. Reagan High'.

I was shocked. This was Fang's old school. "Why would you give me this?" I asked her.

Ella smirked. "Just wait for it," she said.

I pulled out Nudge's present next. It was just a card. I tore the envelope. The card said, 'I don't know what goes in birthday cards, so I'm just going to shut up and give you the gift.'

I stared at her strangely. "What gift?"

"Come on," she said, and led us into her house. We walked up to the third floor and there were four doors. I had never seen this floor of Nudge's house before.

Anise ran up the stairs. "You haven't showed her yet, right?" she asked Nudge.

"No," Nudge said.

Anise looked pleased. "Good, I want to see her reaction."

Everyone except Fang (the younger kids were still outside) had smiles on their faces. Fang looked indifferent. "What is going on here!" I shouted.

Anise opened a door, and inside there was a queen bed, bookshelf, bedside table with an alarm clock, a TV in the corner, and a computer on a desk. The room was painted light blue with hardwood floors.

The next door she opened was smaller, but still a reasonable size. It had a twin bed, a bookshelf, and a bedside table with alarm clock also. This room was pale pink with a white carpet.

She opened the third door. It was a darker blue than the first room, and had green carpet. It had the same stuff in it as the second room.

The last door Anise opened was a door to a fully furnished bathroom. It had brand new aqua colored tiles on the floor, a porcelain sink, and a shower-tub thing. Everything was squeaky clean.

"Why are you showing me this?" I asked Anise and Nudge.

"Well, this used to be a guest floor," Nudge started.

Anise finished, "but we decided to put it to better use."

"What do you mean?"

Anise smiled at me. "Max, we want to adopt you and your siblings."

I'm pretty sure I stood there with my mouth hanging open for at least five minutes. I finally snapped out of it. "There's no way I could take this," I said.

Nudge held my hand. "Max, we want you here. It's not charity."

"Seriously, I don't belong in this lifestyle. I could never adjust."

Anise looked into my eyes. It was almost as if she was looking into my soul. I actually felt intimidated. Her tone was normal, though. "Max, please, you could have it all."

"You want me here?" I asked cautiously.

They both nodded their heads yes.

"This isn't a charity thing?"

Nudge and Anise shook their heads no.

"Wait," I said, turning to JJ, "I'll miss you."

JJ laughed. "I'm moving into an apartment near here and transferring to R. Reagan High. I could have for a year or so. My parents wanted me to. I wouldn't leave you behind. But now I can transfer!"

We both screamed and started happy dancing at the same time. But then a thought struck. _I was holding JJ back._

"JJ, you shouldn't have let me hold you back."

"Max, you are my best friend. I didn't do that out of guilt, I did it because you are my best friend. It's the same reason you were about to refuse the adoption. But now you don't have to!"

Nudge was practically staring at me in happiness. "So?" she asked.

"Heck yeah!" I yelled. Nudge, Ella, JJ, Iggy and I squealed in excitement. Fang smirked.

+++two hours after the party ended+++

I was sitting on an actual BED! My very own, not someone else's! Fang sat next to me. "Thanks for not making a big deal and getting me a present."

"So you didn't like your presents?" Fang asked.

"No, I loved them," I said smiling.

"Actually, I did get you a present," he told me.

I groaned. "What is it?"

He pulled a DVD out of the desk that the computer was on and put it in my TV. He pressed play and it showed Fang. TV Fang said, "happy birthday Max," then turned the camera. It looked like a jail.

There, behind bars, was Dylan. He looked angry, and was walking back and forth in the cell with his arms crossed. I saw a metal toilet. The screen went blank, and I guessed the DVD was over.

I turned to Fang. "Dylan's in jail?"

He smiled. "Happy Birthday."

"How did you do this!" I asked happily.

"My present to you was a private detective, but I decided to get the job finished early."

I hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much," I said as I pulled away. He looked into my eyes. I saw something in his eyes, and that made what I did next irresistible.

I closed the distance and lightly kissed him, letting my lips linger over his. He was completely stoic for a few seconds, but then moved his lips with mine. We didn't deepen it any, being perfectly happy with the kiss. It wasn't a lustful kiss, it was a love kiss.


	20. an important AN you must read

**Hey, I know, another A/N. But while I'm gone, I want you to vote on the poll on my profile whether Max should have the baby or a miscarriage. I'm not sure which to do and I want you guys to choose which Max choose.**

**Laters,**

**whocares1313**


	21. Chapter 19

**Hey, I'm closing the poll so I am not going to count any more votes, but I'm not showing the result until after the next chapter. And there's not going to be a Fax child in here, letting you know now. Sorry that I'm cursing more in this chapter than usual… **

_Let's watch the sun come up  
>We'll sleep when we're dead cause<br>Halfway kind of sucks…  
>Victorious cast~ All I Want Is Everything<em>

Max POV

I woke up with sharp pains in my bed from sleeping on the mattress. I was so used to the hard floor that the down-filled mattress actually _hurt _my back. I stretched out and cracked my back a few times, slowly rising into a sitting position. I reached onto the table next to my bed and picked up the TV remote. It was so foreign here; I had Comcast with ON DEMAND here. ON DEMAND!

After scanning two hundred channels, there was still nothing interesting on (probably because it was 6:30 am, but whatever) and I just gave up my being lazy act and went downstairs for breakfast. I grabbed a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats and dug in, making sure to save the ones with extra frosting for last.

Nudge's dad walked downstairs in his business suit, and saw me. "Good morning Max, why are you up so early? You don't have to be up for school for another half hour."

I shrugged. "Force of habit. How are we getting to school?"

"Fang offered to drive you. Be ready in a half an hour," he told me, the walked out of the kitchen with a cream cheese bagel. I heard his car start outside and focused on my Mini Wheats again.

After I finished, I went upstairs to the third floor to get ready and wake up Gazzy and Angel. They had been fine with it as long as they could see their old friends on the weekends. I walked into Angel's room and shook her awake. "Morning kiddo," I said when her eyes flickered open. She groaned.

Angel slowly got out of bed and trudged out of the room for breakfast in her new duck pajamas the Martins (Nudge's family) bought her. I had preferred to stay with my old wardrobe.

I walked into Gazzy's room and he was already awake, tying his shoes. "Mornin' Max," he chirped cheerily, and went downstairs for breakfast too.

I went into my room and dug through the almost-walk-in closet. I picked out one of my old pairs of blue jeans that were practically falling apart, a dark purple shirt that fit me perfectly (got it on sale at Wal-Mart for a dollar!), and the one thing I let the Martins buy me, my black converse with a skull print. I put my sandy-colored hair up in a messy high bun.

After I put everything on I walked downstairs and knocked on Nudges door. "Hey!" I yelled through the pure oak, "you up yet?"

She walked out looking like a beauty queen. Her makeup was perfect, and not too overly done. She looked like a cover girl. Nudge was wearing a white button down that contrasted great with her skin tone, and black pencil-leg skinny jeans. She was wearing leather boots. Her hair was straightened completely, except a few random curls.

She eyed me up and down and nodded.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Normally, that outfit would get someone shunned in my school, but you look great. Are you wearing any makeup?"

"No," I said cautiously.

"Wow, you're lucky you're confident enough to go out in public without it. But you are gorgeous." We linked arms and walked downstairs. She got two pieces of bacon and a plastic cup filled with orange juice and we grabbed our jackets on our way outside to meet Fang. Anise was already gone, taking Gazzy and Angel to their new elementary school.

He came about five minutes later, and Nudge had already finished her breakfast and thrown it in their outdoor trashcan. Nudge wrinkled her nose playfully. "I can't believe I'm going to show up to school in this."

"Complain when you've got your own license," Fang said, looking a little discouraged about the old truck. Nudge got in the back seat and I sat shotgun.

We also stopped to pick up Ella and Iggy at the same apartment building. JJ would get a ride from her parents this morning since we didn't know where she lived yet.

For some reason, everything was really awkward in the truck. Trying to break the silence, I turned to Fang. "Do you still have your secret Beatles CD?" I asked him.

He gritted his teeth as everyone laughed in the cramped back seat. It was a pretty long drive to their High School since it was on the outskirts of the city. He took out the CD and I blasted Yellow Submarine through the speakers.

We pulled up to his school and I looked through the window. Everyone was staring at the rust-bucket truck with upturned noses. But looking around more actually proved it didn't belong here. The parking lot was filled with Porsches and Ferraris. I suddenly felt really self-conscious, and knew why Nudge looked so perfect.

Everyone was staring at the doors of the truck, probably watching to see what losers would come out. Fang rolled his eyes at the rest of us frozen in our seats and opened his door first. I opened my door next and everyone came out of the back. Fang wrapped his arm around my waist and I held his hand there.

Everyone in the parking lot gasped. I wondered what they were thinking about.

Everyone in the parking lots POV

Fang is back? Why was he driving that old truck? Who is that girl? (just the boys POV) Fang always gets the hot girls.

Fang POV

I noticed the guys eyeing Max and put my arm around her waist. She held my hand and we walked to the office to get our schedules.

Ms. Cunningham (one of the secretaries) looked up and sighed. "Fang, what did you do this time?" Max snickered lightly.

"Actually, me and Max just transferred here and were hoping to get our schedules."

She handed us the schedules and looked at me. "Max and _I_, Fang. Proper grammar please."

JJ walked in as _Max and I _were examining our schedules in the chairs of the office waiting room. She got her schedule.

Max and I had English, History, and Calculus together, as well as lunch. JJ and I had History and lunch together. I had the same schedule as Iggy.

We all met up at lunch and Max and I sat next to each other, my arm around her shoulders. Iggy and Shaw were doing the same with Nudge and Ella. It's hard to be a guy, you have to keep other guys from hitting on your girlfriend, and it's so hard to eat with one arm.

JJ looked uncomfortable, because she was the only girl without a guy 'claiming' her. She eventually got up and walked to an empty table. Nudge, Ella, and Max all got up at the same time and followed her, the guys watching their asses the whole way. I stood up, flipped off Jared, Steven, and Mike, and followed the girls to the table with Iggy and Shaw right behind me.

On our way out of Calculus, a guy squeezed Max's butt. She turned around and hit him with a mean right hook. "What. The. Hell. Is. Your. Problem?" she said in between punches.

He just sat there cowering like an idiot, trying to protect his stupid face. I would have beat him up, but I doubted Max wanted any help. The guy must have transferred after I started going to Max's school, because I didn't recognize him.

Eventually, Mr. Fends (the Calculus teacher) managed to pull Max off the guy, and send her to the office. The guy had a black eye and a split lip. He was sent to the nurse's office.

I quietly followed and waited for the nurse to leave the room. I walked in slowly, surely looking super badass. "Listen kid," I told him firmly, "I don't know who you think you are, harassing my girlfriend, but it better not happen again."

I slowly stalked out and went into the bathroom to calm myself down. I splashed some cold water on my face and breathed evenly, not knowing how to deal with this much emotion.

The door opened and I put on my calm face, not wanting anyone to see me like this. Max walked in and I froze, hoping to turn invisible._ I was in the __**gir'ls **__bathroom!_

Max saw me (dang invisibility power) and raised an eyebrow. "Do I even want to know?" she asked me.

"Probably not," I answered as I walked out, and into an empty classroom. Not only did I not notice the 'Women's' sign, but I was so angry that instead of the color scheme of the Men's room (blue and black), the bathroom was pink and white. _Ew, pink, how'd I not notice that?_

I then proceeded to bang my head on the wall because of my stupidity (I know, banging my head on the wall was stupid) and trying to get a concussion so I wouldn't have to deal with the teasing from Max.

Max walked into the classroom and I hit my head on the wall harder and faster. She tried to pull me away from the wall but I slipped her grip. Max blew her long bangs out of her eyes and grabbed my feet. She dragged me into the hallway and I started hitting my head on that wall. Max slapped me, probably having fun doing it. "What are you doing, stupid?"

"Getting a concussion," I told her, and hit my head on the wall even harder, whispering, "this is all a dream," over and over.

Max slapped me again. "Get the fuck up," she said firmly.

"No," I said firmly. "You're a dream Max."

"Fang, you were in the girls bathroom, I don't care unless you were spying on girls in there," Max said, and leaned in to kiss me. _I love her… wait, what?_

++++time skip to car ride home++++

JJ was sitting in between Max and I, but other than that, everyone was arranged the same in my truck. Suddenly Max shouted, "Fang was in the girls bathroom!"

I think she's determined to embarrass me every ride. Cccrrraaappp.


	22. Chapter 20

**Okay, so I'm really upset because I saved this on my computer and emailed it to my laptop. I finished this chapter yesterday, went to upload this chapter, and it wasn't there, so I have to rewrite it. Urg. It probably won't be as good as when I originally wrote it…**

_Choking on the black gold,  
>Upon which we rely,<br>We keep axes in the attics,  
>To see cameras in the sky<em>

_Help is on the Way~ Rise Against_

++++one week later++++

Max POV

I got up and went through my normal routine. Fang picked up me, and we drove to JJ's apartment complex. Iggy was picking up Ella and Nudge now, since there was not enough room in the truck. I know it's stupid that Nudge and I live in the same house but we're in different carpools, but we both wanted to ride with our boyfriends, so, whatever.

We stopped at JJ's building and I ran in. Her apartment was on the fifth floor, and was way nicer than the other one. I knocked on her door, and she ran out. "Hey gurl!" she yelled.

"Hey!" I yelled, and we hugged, because we hadn't seen each other all weekend. I had been hanging out with Fang both Saturday and Sunday afternoon (Nudge's family went to church).

We ran to the elevator, and talked about random stuff on the way down. We made our way to the car, and JJ sat in the backseat. I sat down and turned the radio on, deciding to see what Fang usually listened to.

"That's when she said I don't hate you but I just want to save you while there's still something left to save!" blared out of the speakers.

I went wide eyed. "So you _do _listen to emo music when you're not listening to the Beatles!" I yelled, and started poking him because I got bored. But I really did like the song though.

He just scowled for the rest of the ride as I poked him and JJ laughed at his facial expression.

We pulled up to the school, and were a few minutes early, so we sat with Iggy, Nudge, and Ella and talked. Iggy had his arm around Nudge, and Fang had his arm around me.

Shaw walked up and sat next to Ella, and JJ groaned. "I feel like a…" she stopped to count, "seventh wheel."

I laughed, and JJ started laughing too. The rest of them looked at us. I decided to quote Rex Powers from Victorious. "You can stare all you want, I'm secure."

Nudge looked confused, then said, "didn't Robbie's puppet say that on Victorious?" Everyone turned their eyes to her, wondering why she could quote something directly from a show for kids ages eight to twelve. Nudge brushed them off. "You can stare all you want, I'm secure."

I laughed again and high-fived Nudge.

The bell rang and we all made our way inside the school. I decided that I was bored and pushed Fang into a locker, unfortunately, there was a person in front of that locker. Her face was as red as her hair when she pushed Fang off of her, and she looked ready to cuss me out.

I ran away overdramatically, so I wouldn't have to deal with her. Quickly, I turned around to see the rest of our gang laughing, and I flipped them off. As I turned around, I slammed into a wall. The wall grabbed my wrists and smiled at me. He had chestnut hair and brown eyes.

"Hey, are you new here?" he asked me.

"Yeah, just transferred here."

"Oh," he said, "that explains it. I've been out with mono for two weeks."

I smiled back at him, wondering where this was going.

"Uh, are you busy this Friday?"

I felt strong arms wrap around me – Fang's arms – and smiled evilly. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm busy this weekend. And besides, I'm pregnant."

Sam grinned at Fang. "Finally! You scored with one of your bit-"

He was cut off by Fang's fist shooting out and hitting him in the jaw. "I've always told you to shut up Sam," he said darkly.

Fang gripped my hand tightly, and we walked to the library. We went to the back, where the beanbags were. Fang ran his hand through his mangy, dark hair. "I'm sorry about Sam," he said angrily.

"It's fine."

"No it's not," Fang whispered. I looked in his eyes.

"Fang I don't care." I slowly leaned in toward his lips. As soon as they touched I felt that special spark. You know, the kind where the rest of the world disappears and all there is is you and the other person.

Fang and I were trying to get closer, even though it wasn't possible. I slammed Fang against the wall and tangled my fingers in his hair as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

I heard someone say, "Aw!" and turned around to see Iggy, Ella, and Nudge.

Ella and Nudge were laughing, and Iggy was pretending to pick his nose. I was guessing that Iggy was the one to say aw. At first I was embarrassed, but then realized it was just the gang. I shrugged and Fang and I started making out again.

++++time skip to after school++++

Nudge, Iggy, Fang, and I were on a double date in our basement. We were sitting in the cushy movie theater seats, watching Transformers 2 in HD on the seventy inch TV.

I had drunk three cokes and my bladder was bothering me. I excused myself to go to the bathroom and quickly peed, but when I went to pull my pants up, I saw a red stain in my… underwear. Underwear, not panties.

I sunk to the floor, confused, then realized that it was my period. I WASN'T PREGGO! I sat on the floor, and let all of the emotions flow through me.

About ten minutes later, I heard a knock on the door. "Max?" It was Nudge's voice.

I quickly pulled my pants up, and opened the door, hugging Nudge. She patted my back awkwardly, not knowing why I was hugging her.

"Max… what's wrong?" she asked.

I just screamed happily.

"Were you having a bathroom crack party?"

The boys ran in. "Who screamed?" they asked, panting.

I just pulled them both into a big hug.

"She was in a bathroom crack party," Nudge told them.

I screamed happily again.

"You are right Nudge," Iggy said.

"Max, what is your problem?" Fang asked.

"I'M NOT PREGGERS!" I exclaimed.

Fang smiled, with teeth, and picked me up, spinning me around. I pecked him on the lips when he put me down. Iggy hugged me, and I squealed and happy danced with Nudge.

**It was longer when I typed it before… but, oh well. Only the epilogue is left, because if I went on with the story, it would become your typical Max Ride in high school story.**


	23. epilogue

**The epilogue!**

_I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart  
>What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard<br>And got so far  
>But in the end<br>It doesn't even matter  
>I had to fall<br>To lose it all  
>But in the end<br>It doesn't even matter_

_Linkin Park~ In the End_

++++four months later++++

Max POV

I smiled as Nudge 'dolled me up' for Fang's birthday party. (He was turning 18. I remembered how Iggy was patting Fang on the back earlier for being with 'an older woman'.) She took me to a salon earlier and I had a hot pink streak in my blonde-brown hair. Nudge straightened my hair and put me in some jean shorts with the pockets coming out of the bottom. I was also wearing a black shirt that said "does your face hurt, because it's killing me" written on it in serial killer letters.

I smiled at my reflection after Nudge was done, and we set off in my relatively new car. Nudge's parents had bought it for me a couple months ago. I put the sun roof down, ignoring Nudge's complaints about our hair being messed up.

When we got to Fang's house the party was already going strong. I'd have to say about half of our school was already there, with more to come. We walked over to the corner of the room where Fang was talking to Iggy and a few other people whose names I still didn't know.

When we got there, I kissed Fang's cheek, and he wrapped his arm around my waist. We talked and Fang introduced me to his friends. "Max, this is Brad, Steve, and Jason," he said, pointing out each boy. I nodded, pretending that the names had actually registered over the loud music.

Ella and JJ walked in. Nudge ran towards them and they all disappeared into the crowd. I talked with Fang and Iggy for a while, and went to get a drink. I grabbed a red plastic cup off a table and took a sip, scrunching up my face at the sour taste. I dropped the beer mixed with coke on the ground in disgust.

I walked back to Fang. "Isn't your mom home?" I ask/shouted over the music.

"Yeah!" he yelled.

"Does she know there's beer here?"

"What!" Fang shouted over the music.

"Does-!"

"I heard you!" Fang exclaimed, then stormed off.

I turned to Iggy. "So what's up with you?"

++++time skip++++

Fang, Ella, JJ, Nudge, Iggy, Fang, and I were all cleaning up after the party. Ms. Johnson said we didn't have to, but we all wanted to stay a little longer. I hummed a tune as I picked up popped balloons from the floor.

"Wow Max, not only can you not sing," I heard Iggy say behind me.

I turned around. "Oh shut up," I told him angrily.

"Nice comeback," he teased, and went back to folding tables.

I groaned and went back to picking up the balloons.

After I finished, I started popping and cutting down all of the other balloons. I only saved a green one for Gazzy and a pink one for Angel.

I brought them up to Fangs room and let them float up to the ceiling. I walked back downstairs and the room looked clean. Everyone was walking out the door, including Nudge, who was either getting a ride from Ella or Iggy (probably Iggy).

Fang closed the door and smiled at me. I smiled back, confused. He grabbed my hand and led me out to his backyard. There was a blanket in the middle of it and we laid down on it.

I cuddled up next to Fang as we stargazed. Fang pointed out the big dipper and I nodded excitedly, he was the first person to ever show it to me. He showed me Orion and the little dipper and all of the star signs.

After he was done pointing everything out he turned to face me, and we ended up staring at each other for a few minutes. I moved in to kiss him, and I felt an extreme spark as our lips met. We moved our lips together, and I ended up straddling him.

Eventually, I rolled off of him. His eyes searched me. I smiled, feeling this was the right time.

"Fang?" I asked, and he looked into my eyes again. I had to resist the urge to jump him. "I love you," I told him softly, sincerely.

The seconds felt like minute, but then Fang pulled me close. "I love you too."

I grinned and brought our lips together once again.

**Well, there, a Fax ending. Wow, I'm going to miss this story. That ending was so cliché. And short. Oh well. REVIEW!**


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